Kidnapping Zelda Harkinian
by Colleentj
Summary: My name's Ganondorf Dragmire, and this is the story of the time I was blackmailed into breaking a girl's heart. But that was back before I knew the weight of the secrets she carried, back before I learned about a reincarnation cycle centuries old. And it was long, long before I dreamed that I'd ever fall in love- especially so honestly, and especially with her. Ganon/Zelda.
1. Introduction

Chapter 1: _Introduction_

It would probably be best for me to start off with a simple disclaimer.

I didn't want to do it.

It just… well, it just sort of happened.

You seem pretty trustworthy, so I'm not going to sugar-coat anything. I've always hated when people do that, anyway. Besides, I couldn't do that if I wanted to. Guess I just haven't got the skill for it. I'm not a hell of a writer- I mean, I've done a bit of studying here and there, but words like _diction _and _syntax _all get scrambled up sometimes, and in the end, they don't matter, anyway.

What matters is that I've got a story that needs telling, and I know that if I don't do it, then no one else will. And you know what? People need to know what happened at Hyrule City Academy in the winter of 2013. And more importantly, they need to know _why_. _Whys_ are a lot more important than _whats_ if you ask me.

This is usually the part where people introduce themselves. If you even care about that sort of thing, then it'd probably please you to know that my full name is Ganondorf Dragmire- don't make fun of it, I already know it's a shit name- and that I'm sixteen years old, and that I am a screw-up. And if you're wondering how that can possibly be considered anything to go on, then you should know that _I'm _still not sure who the hell I am, so it's not like anything I've got to say is going to be any help to you in the long run.

But enough about me. I'm not important. I'm probably the least-important person in the entirety of Hyrule City, but I'll leave that up to you. I know people that would claim otherwise, and I also know of a few books that would claim otherwise- which is probably confusing to you right now, but that's okay, because it'll make sense soon enough.

Anyway, picture this in your head: there's this street, right? And it stretches from where you're standing all the way to the chain-link fence way on the other side. It's a pretty cloudy day- you know, the bleak kind that makes cities look a lot worse than they actually are. And against those clouds you can see a bunch of run-down buildings. They're framing both sides of the street, actually, and there's a beat-up old basketball hoop to your right, and to your left is this kid. Okay, this kid's probably in a leather jacket from gods-know-where, he's got messy red hair and dilapidated sneakers and under one arm is a basketball.

Okay. Now freeze. This kid is me, and ten minutes ago he got a yearbook thrown at his head by his sister, Nabooru, who, by the way, is apeshit insane. But you can take that up with her. He- well, _I- _got a yearbook thrown at my head because I decided to be the World's Biggest Idiot while doing a favor for Nabooru the Apeshit Insane. It had to do with answering emails. Unfreeze.

It happened so many months ago now that the details are starting to get kind of fuzzy. But I can give you the details if you want- background details- _exposition_, but that's just more of that language arts bull. Anyway, my crazy sister Nabooru ("affectionately" known as Nabs) had decided one afternoon near the tail end of summer that she didn't feel like answering her email, and somehow, the burden had fallen upon yours truly. Now, I should let you know that the only reason Nabooru had a computer was because it was a fancy _school _computer, and the only reason she even went to a fancy school in the first place was because besides being the craziest human being to walk the face of the earth, Nabs was also the most uptight person to walk the face of the earth, thus her killer work ethic.

Early on in her pursuit of glory- and probably world domination- Nabs had accumulated all of the young Gerudo women she could find and had formed the Organization for the Rights of Gerudo Youth. Being one of the only families of Gerudo descent in Hyrule City, Nabs had been quick to pull the race card on poor old HCA (that's short for _Hyrule City Academy_), and had convinced them that if they were handing out scholarships to Zora and Goron minorities, then so too must they hand them out to Gerudo. No sooner had she cried "Alas! Social injustice!" than HCA ambassadors had shown up at the front door- like, _literally at the front door- _offering her a full ride because _boy _did the Organization for the Rights of Gerudo Youth look good on a resume!

I was quick to disagree. In my opinion, an association with initials that spelled out _orgy _was bound to leave a very _bad _impression on a resume, but that did nothing but cause Nabs to get royally pissed off, which actually resulted in an accusation that Mayhaps Nabooru Was PMSing, which of _course _led to cries of "sexism!" Needless to say, I lost that argument, and I _also _lost my privilege to using her computer-

A privilege that I gained back within the next year, as soon as Nabs decided that she didn't feel like answering her own school emails anymore. Don't ask me why. I actually think it might have had something to do with her being up to her nose in schoolwork, and not having time for anything else- just like she didn't have any time for the family she was legally in charge of.

Now would probably be a good time to elaborate on another thing: you see, we don't live with our parents anymore. Nabs is eighteen and is technically our legal guardian, although I guess you could say that Aveil- the second oldest sister- is the real "mother" of the group. She's the one who's always taken care of us ever since our mom died. Then you've got Sirbe and Abenu, the two littlest- well, I say _little _when actually they're thirteen and eleven, but you get the idea.

While Nabooru was busy receiving her education in a castle in the nice part of Hyrule City, the rest of the family (sans Aveil) was attending the local city school. I don't want to make that place sound like a dump, but it was a dump.

I'm not embarrassed to be from the "bad side" of town, and I never have been. But I've also got sense enough to know that being poor hasn't made me special- Nabs is the only one who ever got tricked into thinking that way, and to this day, it still confuses me a bit that she ever got so far as to confuse herself with technicalities like that. She's always been one to separate people based on what's on the surface.

I used to do that, too.

Anyway, so let's jump forward in time a bit to the bleak, cloudy day in early fall that I got a yearbook thrown at my head. Now, I was sitting in my cramped bedroom, legs dangling off of the bed with Nabs' school computer nestled in my lap. The last light of day was filtering in through dusty blinds, and every now and again this el train would rattle past the window and make the whole room rumble and shake.

In front of me was Nabs' email inbox. And there was one particular email in there that had caught my eye- it was from HCA's headmaster, and it was explaining to dear old Nabooru that Congratulations, She was at the top of her class, She qualified for the class presidency, Would she be interested in running, I am, &c., Headmaster so and so. And so forth.

Okay, so it's probably not too hard to imagine my temptation when I read that. Oh, the possibilities! This was a golden opportunity that any classic screw-up such as myself would jump at in a heartbeat. I figured that this was Nabooru's perfect Segway from Typical Prep Student into Ruthless World Dictator- you know, I knew from the start that she would go mad with power, so I just figured, hell, go with it- and so my response to the headmaster's email was of course very delicately worded.

_Headmaster,_

_ I accept your invitation to smite bitches and take the throne with enthusiasm._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Nabooru Dragmire._

Well, boo-frickin'-hoo for me, because little did I know that a.) not only did the academy headmaster have absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever, but b.) neither did Nabooru. And not to mention the catch, c.) No HCA student was supposed to disclose the details of their digital accounts or records to anybody other than themselves except with written permission from the academy itself, and Nabooru of course had been busted, and her flawless record had been tainted- all because of me.

That wasn't to say that she lost her shot at class president. On the contrary, she'd secured it- or, rather, I'd secured it for her- and she was well on her way to Senior Class Dictator- uh, _president_- long before I even entered the picture.

But of course she was upset at my "irresponsibility" and "immaturity," cue the outrage, cue the angry spitting and stomping, and of course, cue the yearbook.

It appears we've come full circle.

After awhile Nabooru calmed down. She called me downstairs into the dirty little kitchen. I could tell she was still upset when I got down there because her voice was really flat when she spoke. Hey, at least she wasn't trying to murder me.

"I've come to a decision regarding your punishment," she told me, her words cold and unforgiving. "If I'm going to run for class president- as you have decided I will- then I want you to win for me."

This of course made no sense whatsoever.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too bitter.

"There's only one other student running for senior class president this year," Nabooru explained. "She's got the highest marks in the class and has got an outstanding resume- rivaling mine, I'd reckon."

Now I was even more confused. "Well, what the hell does that have to do with me?"

"I want you to ruin her chances. Elections are in the beginning of January- three months from now- and I need to be way ahead of her by then. I was thinking, I need something big, something a little dicey, something that will ruin this girl. And then, Ganon, well, then I thought of you."

"Because I ruin everything?" I piped up.

"Exactly," Nabooru confirmed. "You're a little shit, you know that?" I gave a slow nod. "And since you ruin everything, then I'd be willing to bet you can ruin her."

"A daring proposal," I mocked, not liking the sound of this at all.

"You're not getting out of this, you know," Nabs now explained. "You dug yourself into this hole, and the only way to climb back out of it is to _ensure _that I win the class election."

"And how am I supposed to do that?!" I now argued. "What do you expect me to do, get the other candidate to- to, I don't know, fall in love with me or something? And then what, break her heart? Crush her spirit, make her cry?!" I ranted angrily, and my face fell suddenly as I took note of Nabooru's expression.

"You can bet your ass that's what I expect you to do," Nabs answered, and her voice was stone cold. She wasn't messing around, not one bit.

"But- but I don't even go to school with you-"

She raised a brow, and pulled an envelope out of her pocket suddenly.

"No- no, no, no-"

"Say hello to your letter of acceptance to Hyrue City Academy, one semester dirt cheap, all thanks to your sister who does her research and knows how to sway an admissions officer with a bad attitude."

I was just shaking my head. "No way. I'm not going there- you can't make me- they wear _blazers_-"

"Are you saying _no _to me?" Nabs threatened.

"Uh, yeah. That's exactly what I'm saying."

Nabs just smirked. "Have you ever heard of the term _blackmail_?" she asked suddenly, and my stomach turned.

"You're kidding-" I said, and a secret several years old crept back into my mind and caused me to shiver slightly.

"I haven't forgotten," she now said, "about that incident two years ago. If you want that to stay a secret, then I suggest doing as I say."

Like I said. Apeshit. Freaking. Insane.

"You're blackmailing me into breaking a girl's heart?"

"Yes."

"In three months."

"Three months exactly."

And that's basically how I ended up in Hyrule City Academy's main office less than a week later, face-to-face with the headmaster himself. It was the kind of office filled with thick books and polished furniture and pamphlets reading _Grasp your future at Hyrule City Academy_, which of course seemed like bullshit at the time but which I would later learn was very, very far from bullshit.

Then there was the headmaster. Just the kind of guy you would not want to cross. He had pale, keen eyes that could stare right through you. I remember how unnerving that gaze seemed to me at first. When he scrutinized me that first day, I immediately jumped to the far-fetched (but probably still true) conclusion that he was attempting to scan my soul, and back at that point in time I wasn't sure exactly what it was about him that made me uncomfortable. Of course I attributed my discomfort to nerves- that was only logical- but I know now that there was true reasoning behind it… reasoning that, in time, would become clear to me.

Once the awkward meeting had been concluded- and it had been awkward, all right, all stiff nods and "Yes, indeeds," and a spiel about grades and work ethic- I departed the office, schedule in hand, and made a beeline down the hall. I don't know where I was trying to go- away from the school, I guess, because I knew that I did not belong in a rich-kid school like this filled with people that actually _tried _to do things the right way. But Nabs had been on my tail the whole time, and she decided that she would take it upon herself thenceforth to steer me through crowded corridors until she'd located the perfect spot for drop off, which I knew without asking would be probably within a twenty-five foot radius of whatever girl was her competition for class president.

(This twenty-five foot radius would come to be known as the "danger zone" from time to time- but you'll find out why in just a minute or so.)

The airy, arching corridors were packed with neatly dressed students on their way to class. It was the beginning of October and my first day here; Aveil had spent hours readying me for today, ironing my newly acquired uniform and organizing all of my books into a neat leather satchel. She'd dressed me up very nicely and although I'd appreciated the gesture, I was quick to ruin it. As soon as I'd left the apartment complex I unbuttoned my blazer and ruffled out my hair. Just because I was going to an expensive school would not make me a goody-two-shoes. Nothing could do that, I told myself.

We turned into another sunlit corridor. Students were moving in streams toward the classrooms. A pair of girls stumbled in front of us, laughing. A boy crossed their path, blocking the view. The path forward cleared suddenly, allowing a clear view of a girl standing across the hall in the sunlight.

"That girl," I heard Nabooru specify. "She's the one. She's the one running for president… she's the one you need to ruin."

I froze in place, staring at the girl Nabooru had pointed out.

Well, would you look at that.

Oh, Gods. She looked like one of those girls from Blessed Nayru Academy or something. Or maybe Sisters of the Holy Triforce. She had her hair pinned back in a blonde bun, and a pair of glasses rested on her nose. Her uniform was perfectly ironed and buttoned, encompassing thin but dignified shoulders, and she was standing ramrod-straight by a locker, filing through a stack of neatly organized papers. There wasn't a hair out of place.

Also interesting was a dark blue sash, pinned at the waist with a small gold sphere.

"The hell is that around her shoulders?" I asked aloud. "A chastity belt?"

Nabooru snorted. "She's prefect, Gan. She keeps dumbasses like you in line."

"Dumbasses like me," I repeated hollowly. The girl shut her locker and examined the front of it for a second. It looked fine to me, but she raised a finger to it and wiped away a smudge anyway, as if that one smudge on the front of a locker would ruin the rest of her day or something.

I found myself walking forward against my will, walking towards that girl in the sunlight, that girl who was… walking in the other direction.

"Hey, stop!" I called, unable to help myself. One thing that's important to remember about people like me is that we just sort of… _do_. I have a really bad habit of _never freaking thinking _about something until it's over, and then I think about it a lot- it's a problem, I know it's a problem.

The girl slowed to a stop, the clicking of her heels diminishing as she paused, thin legs freezing. She turned around briskly, eyed me over once, and frowned.

"Button your blazer," she commanded. "And do something about that hair." Then she turned and continued strutting down the hall, eyes staring firmly ahead, books clutched to her chest. What- who the hell did she think she was, anyway?

"Hey- I said stop!" I repeated. She slowed again and turned to face me.

"Do you need something?" Her voice was just freezing cold in nature, almost like she was a robot or something. Her brow was drawn in irritation. When I didn't answer right away, she sighed. "Listen," she said, "I have to be somewhere. I don't have time for you right now. Good day." She started to walk away again.

I glanced over my shoulder, cocking an eyebrow in Nabooru's direction.

_Is she serious?_ my expression asked. Nabooru just smirked.

Now I chased after this girl. Gods, I didn't even know her name! I trotted down the hall after her, sliding to a stop behind her and gripping her shoulders. She jumped in surprise, the books nearly sliding out of her grip. She stared forward furiously.

"Get your hands off of me," she uttered.

"Miss-"

She whirled around suddenly and stabbed her heel into my toe. I swear to Din, the pain shot right up my spine when she did that. She could have at least warned me.

"Gods _dammit-_"

"I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone, now," she ordered. _I would appreciate it._ Like I would be doing her a favor if I left her alone. Like her blood wasn't boiling at the sight of me already. _Well, guess what, Princess,_ I thought. _The feeling's mutual._

I didn't call her a princess out loud, of course, because then she'd probably kill me. But she was acting like one, so I let the thought stick in my head for awhile.

"Listen," I finally said. "I just… I'm new here, and I saw you, and I was thinking, you're a pretty nice- well, a very nice- looking girl, you know that?" I glanced at Nabooru again, who was watching in mild amusement. She gave a slow nod. When I turned back to the girl, she was frowning.

"Sure," she finally answered, and her voice was thick with sarcasm. And when I say thick with sarcasm, I mean that she had it down pat. It was like her voice dropped a few octaves when she drawled out the answer. I'd never heard anybody with that much bitterness in their voice. And we're talking about me, here, we're talking about the guy who could crack a joke at a funeral if he wanted to.

...Okay, maybe not a _funeral_, but a ceremony of comparable solemnity. Like math class.

I'm telling you now, this girl was no goddess, and she wasn't about to fool me into thinking she was. To be honest, in those first few moments I knew her, I could already feel myself kind of disliking her. She seemed coldhearted and bitter. Plus, my toe was probably broken.

There was a flurry of footsteps behind me and suddenly a red blur entered my vision, knocking the girl off her feet as the two stumbled backwards together. The newcomer was giggling about something.

"Zellie!" she exclaimed. "I have the best news! I was talking to Professor Ezlo before about the campaign and he said we could start making posters tomorrow after school! I enlisted the entire art club, they said of course they'll help, they really do love you, Zellie- or maybe they just love me, I don't know- anyway I was…" the girl trailed off as she noticed me, eyes widening into perfect circles. "Oh," she said quietly. "Zel... who's this?"

"Don't mind him, Malon," Zel (Zellie?) answered. "He was just leaving."

Malon was sort of pretty, to be honest. She had these wide blue eyes that looked kind of fogged over sometimes, like she was caught up in her imagination. Her red hair was fiery and wild, her cheeks freckled and bent into an eternal smile. I think I liked her as soon as I met her; there was something about her that was definitely off. In retrospect, I think she was rather mad at times. Unlike the other girl, Malon apparently found me quite interesting.

She took a few steps forward and examined me. Then she took a hold of my blazer and buttoned it up as quickly as she could. When she had finished, she smiled.

"There," she said. "Zelda will like you better now, won't she?" She turned and grinned at her friend.

Zelda, as I learned the blonde girl was called, frowned more than I thought was physically possible. "No," she said. "My decision is final."

Ah, yes. After three consecutive minutes of me tripping over my own words, she had decided with total finality that she would never even consider viewing me in a benign light. Nabs would be proud.

Malon just rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to her," she instructed, pressing forward. "What's your name?" she asked.

"Ganondorf Dragmire," I answered, still somewhat bewildered by how forward she was.

Malon examined me again. Then, she nodded. "Good," she said in approval. "It's a weird sounding name, but you're a weird looking person, so it matches."

"Malon, please. Have some dignity."

I turned my gaze back on Zelda. Her face was out of the ordinary, too; thin, with a long, pinched nose, and pale lips pressed together in a hard line. Her eyes were pale, but I didn't really get to see them as she insisted on averting my gaze.

I nearly jumped out of my skin as the shrill screeching of a bell resounded through the halls. Malon's grin faltered.

"Well," she sighed. "Gotta go to homeroom. See you later, Zel." She moseyed off, humming a tune to herself.

Zelda stood in place while the other students scurried to class.

"Well?" I said after a second. "Aren't you going to go, too?"

She sighed in exasperation. "I'm hall monitor, Mr. Dragmire. I make rounds while everyone else is in homeroom."

I paused. "Oh. So that means-"

"Get to homeroom," she clarified. "Unless you'd rather I turn you in?"

I smirked. "You don't scare me," I said, leaning in a little. I lowered my voice, hoping it might sound gruff or smoky or something. I don't know. I mean, I'm not a girl, but I assumed that when Zelda finally realized I'd been trying all this time to flirt with her, she'd loosen up a bit and maybe give me some well-deserved but also well-meaning snark.

Instead, her resolve stiffened. "No," she answered coolly. "I suppose I'll have to work on that."

"There's always room for improvement," I persisted, reaching forward. I don't know what I planned to do at that point- maybe touch her hair or something, other girls loved it when I touched their hair- but she just jumped back almost instinctively, slapping my hand away with such force that it stung and glowed red with irritation. And it should have registered right then and there that there was something wrong here- that she was jumpy- anxious- that she hated being touched.

And yet nothing registered, and I carried on with my dumbassery.

"Get to homeroom or I'll report you," she now explained, and at this point she was very short on patience. (Rightfully so, too.)

"You wouldn't," I mocked stupidly.

"I would."

That was a genuine threat, not a meager attempt at flirtation.

"Zelda!" The call came from the other end of the hallway. We both glanced up to see the headmaster glaring down at us. "Zelda," he repeated, "why haven't you started your rounds?! Leave the boy alone, you're running late already!"

Her confidence faltered for a second and she hung her head just the slightest bit. "Yes, Father," she answered. She gave me one last glare and then strutted off, shoulders not as high as they had been thirty seconds ago. The headmaster turned his eye on me and again I got that weird feeling that he could see right through me. Then he harrumphed and walked away in turn.

I stood there for a second, trying to wipe the blatantly shocked expression from my face. Nabooru materialized in my line of vision bearing a devilish smirk.

"Oh, yeah," Nabooru snickered, "one last thing." She narrowed her eyes slyly. "Zelda's the headmaster's daughter."

Sweet Sister Hylia, did I have my work cut out for me.

* * *

**Helloooo everyone. A short introduction, even though I'm not much into introductions: This is my newest multi-chapter fic, and it sprung up around a year ago when I realized that while FFN was overflowing with high school AUs, the collection of high school ZelGan fics was looking pretty darn sparse. As in, it was completely empty. There were none. I decided that this was a problem, and that was when this fic took shape. **

**For those of you that have read _Flowers Don't Grow in the Desert _or _My Roof, My Rules_, you'll notice that this story is diverging dramatically from the style of writing I've been using for awhile now. I'm attempting something I've never tried before- something a little newer and fresher, and while this fic will seem light at first, I promise that I've put just as much thought and care into writing this as I have the others. Maybe even more.**

**I want you all to know that this story is going to deal with several themes that may or may not put you out of your comfort zone. I've never been shy about doing this before with my writing, and I'm absolutely not going to hold back now. So, just as a warning, this fic will contain the following:**

**-Profanity**

**-Implied "Adult Situations"**

**-An LGBT character and side story (which for some reason people feel the need to be warned about)**

**-Domestic violence**

**-Poverty and impoverished communities**

**-Drugs and alcohol**

**Take these situations as you will. **

**One last thing: I'm not sure how many people are going to actually read this due to the fact that it's ZelGan, but I'd like to point out that if I wrote this exact same story and replaced Ganon's name with Link, y'all suckers would gobble it right up. That being said, I'll thank you all in advance for approaching this story with an open mind. I think.**

**-Ctj :)**

_Please leave me a review and let me know what you think so far._**  
**


	2. Why the Harkinians are Probably Robots

Ch. 2: Why the Harkinians are Probably Robots

Day two.

Today was going to be different. I was going to make some serious progress today—I mean, I had my blazer buttoned and everything. Plus, my hair was slicked back. I mean, I looked like the freaking lovechild of a shampoo commercial and an insurance commercial. Girls love that kind of stuff, right?

Wrong.

The first thing Zelda said when she saw me that next morning was, "Go away." Not that I blame her, I mean, I was in the way of her locker. But I figured she would need to get inside there at one point, so when she did she'd be forced to take a gander at my well-kept features.

Now, don't get me wrong. I can pretentious at times, but I'm not vain. I tried being vain once- it didn't work. I took really good care of my skin; dressed nicely, even did my hair. Apparently I sent out the wrong message, because after a few days the town creeper—his name's Ghirahim— started shamelessly flirting with me. Haven't gone back since. (Note: Ghirahim kind of looks like a flamboyant clown. If you see him, _stay away_.)

Anyway, Zelda got really frustrated after that.

"I thought I got rid of you in the hallway yesterday," she mumbled when I refused to budge.

"Nah. I'm pretty persistent, actually. I don't do well with authority. Not a rule follower, to be honest. Never have been, never will be."

"If you don't move, I'll—"

"—Report me to the professors," I finished. "Yeah, I know." Her lips pursed in anger and I let out a long, dramatic sigh. "As you wish, Your Majesty," I finally said with a sidestep.

"Please don't call me that," she said quickly, attending to her lock.

"Fine, Zelda."

Her eyes fell shut in exasperation and I could see her teeth clench. After a split-second, she let out a puff of air and drew the locker open.

"I take it you have something to talk about, since you refuse to leave," she said, sliding books out of the locker and into her waiting arms.

"Perhaps."

"Well? Out with it, then. My patience is running thin."

I smirked. "And snarky, to boot. I like it."

For the very first time she looked me in the eye. Her eyes were actually quite stunning: a clear, icy blue color that gazed with a cold intensity. Those eyes were so interesting to me, and for awhile, I didn't quite know why. Perhaps because she used them as a shield. She always looked like she meant business, like she didn't have time for my bullshit games. Gods, those eyes were terrifying. They thrilled me. Who knew that a girl could harbor such passion, such determination?

It sent me weak at the knees, because in that moment I was almost positive that Zelda Harkinian was indestructible.

I was drawn out of my trance when someone called me to my senses. It was a new voice, somebody I hadn't met yet. I glanced up, irritated. Some slick-haired guy—even slicker haired than _me_—was eyeing me coolly.

"Hey!" he called. "Are you picking on Zelda?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Go away, Link. I can handle him myself."

"Link?" I repeated. "Zelda, you didn't tell me you had a boyfriend!" I scrutinized him. Impeccably ironed clothes, a tight scowl, and a helmet of stiffly-gelled hair. "Bit of a tightass, though," I added.

"He's _not _my boyfriend," Zelda clarified. "He's my _brother_."

Oh. I guess that made a little more sense. They looked similar; their faces were alike, and they both had that white-blonde hair.

Gods, Link kept looking at me. He looked almost baffled. Finally, I groaned.

"Hey, you," I said, calling him back to attention. "Quit staring, or I might start to think you're checking me out."

Link narrowed his eyes. "You want to play that game? Fine."

Now Zelda was doubly-aggravated. "Calm down, Link," she insisted. "Get out of here, or I'll report you both. Is that what you want?"

We both glanced around. The hallways were packed with students; getting into a fight would just lead to more trouble. Not to mention that we had Hyrule City's Queen Bee glaring at the both of us, ready to smack us both across the head. So I just looked at Zelda, who I was starting to despise, and Link, who I was pretty sure I _already _despised, and then I stormed off down the hall, throwing my arms toward the ceiling as if in surrender.

…

The rest of the morning went by slowly. Since Zelda was a senior and I was only a junior, she and I didn't share any classes. I suppose it gave me plenty of time to plot; I kept thinking of ways to get her attention, ways to make her give in. The faster she fell for me, the faster I could break up with her, and that sounded like a pretty good deal to me. I let my imagination run wild during my dumb composition class.

The instructor's name was Ezlo—I affectionately called him 'teach' in my head, as I tended to do with all professors—and he was absolutely out of his mind. He always went off on tangents during class, his conversations never ending up close to how they had started. He kept going on and on about the "price of success" and the "value of strife." He was this tiny old man with a green flat cap that he always wore a little crooked. He liked to smile and I could tell he always had because there were crinkles around his eyes. From years of smiling, I reckon.

Sometimes old Ezlo had to stand on a chair to get our attention because he was so short. When he sat, he plopped a stack of books on his stool so that he'd be up to our height. There was a part of me that, even after only a few classes, admired him, but I mostly figured he was insane. So I tried not to admire him _too _much.

When class got out that day, I rushed to gather my books. I had lunch next and was eager to get a move on. Academy classes were _hard _and my brain was already fried. Unfortunately for me, Ezlo halted me at the door before I could make a break for it.

"I hope you're liking it so far," he said when I asked him what was up.

"What—the school?"

"No, the feather bonnet I left under your chair."

He said it with a totally straight face. When I couldn't find the words to respond, he just snorted.

"Of course the school! Our beloved Hyrule City Academy is an enchanting place, filled to the brim with history… I assume you are going to be staying for awhile?"

"Not sure," I answered as the room cleared out, leaving just Ezlo and I. The professor cocked an eyebrow.

"Not sure? Why not?"

"Money," I answered, and he nodded in understanding.

"I had your sister last year," he now mused. "She was bright, yes, very bright. A talented writer, too, although I don't think she liked it very much. What about yourself? Are you at all inclined toward writing?"

Oh, so _that's _what this was about. Whether or not I took after my exalted sister.

"I'm not good at anything, Tea- Professor," I answered after a moment of hesitation.

There was a twinkle in the old man's eye when I spoke. "Oh," he said after a moment, "we'll see about that."

…

Next to the entrance hall, the dining hall was probably the most cavernous and aesthetically appealing room in the castle. (Did I say castle? I meant academy.) One nice thing about it was that they served meals on a daily basis, and the food was pretty good. It wasn't like my old place, where they'd serve sludge on a tray. Every. Single. Day. I qualified for free lunches there—can't help that Nabs and Aveil could barely scrape in the money to feed us, much less pay the rent.

But the food here was good. I always felt a bit sickly at the old place—malnutrition, I think. But after the first few days of Hyrule City Academy, I could feel myself gaining a little more energy, a little more strength. As much as I hated my reasons for being here, I think that I recognized early on that this new place might actually do me some good.

And not just because there were girls in pencil skirts.

The Academy didn't serve food like the old place did; instead of a line, the food was set out in a buffet and you just nicked whatever you liked and set it on your plate. It was a lot easier, a lot swifter, I think, than a lunch line. I picked up my plate from one end of the table, loaded the dish up, and then- balancing the load best I could- made the trek towards the center of the dining hall.

The hall had a high, vaulted ceiling supported by Gothic-styled beams. Arched windows lined the hall, warm white sunlight streaming through onto the mill of students down below. There were three long wooden tables that stretched lengthwise across the room, and the rumble of student chatter filled the air; overall, it was a lively, light hearted room.

The only problem was, I didn't have anyone to sit with. I'd been allowed to sit with Nabooru yesterday, but I doubted she would let me sit there again. I found her table anyway, placing down my plate tentatively to see if she would react.

"No," she said immediately, even though my plate had barely touched the table.

"Why not?"

"Because you're a boy, and boys aren't allowed to sit with us," Nabooru explained. She gestured to the girls sitting around her. "You see them?" she asked. "They're a part of the Organization for the Rights of Gerudo Youth. And since the organization only applies to women, you're not allowed to join in." She paused. "We cut you some slack yesterday, but it's not happening again," she decided.

I sighed. "Well where am I _supposed _to sit?" I complained.

"I don't know. The floor?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Not amusing, Nabs." She gave a small smirk and rolled her eyes. She stood up suddenly, scanning the hall for someone. Her eyes lit up when she hit her target, and she wagged a finger in that direction.

"Look!" she said. "Zelda's sitting over there. Go flirt with her."

I felt my stomach turn.

"Do I _have _to?"

"What is it now?" Nabooru accused. "Afraid of her already?"

"Not afraid of her," I explained. "Just tired of her. All she does is yell at me... gets on your nerves after awhile."

"You could try being nice," one of Nabooru's friends piped up.

"I _did _try being nice. I told her she was good looking, that's pretty nice."

The girls surrounding Nabooru let out a collective sigh.

"You're doing it all wrong!" one of them announced, and I stared at her in confusion.

"What does that mean?"

"Girls don't want to be valued for their looks, they want to be valued for their personalities!" Nabooru explained. "By complimenting her aesthetic appeal, you were objectifying her. Girls don't want to be objectified, they want to be important!"

That seemed pretty hypocritical to me, since Nabooru was the one who wanted me to treat Zelda like a prop in the first place. Nevertheless, I decided to take their advice. Not really wanting to spend anymore time around Zelda but figuring persistence was key, I moseyed over in Zelda's direction.

She was sitting alone. I figured that nobody had shown up yet since I had seen her sitting with Link and Malon yesterday. She wasn't really eating; she had a plate, but it had gone untouched. Instead, she was poring over a stack of handwritten notes.

I took a deep breath and walked over, setting down my tray and plopping down in the chair across from her. I swear to the Din, that girl didn't miss a beat. Before my butt had even hit the chair, she was on her feet, swiping her books and plate into her arms and marching away wordlessly. I sighed and watched her go, not really up to following her. A few seconds later, somebody new entered my line of vision.

"Where did Zelda go? I swear she was here a minute ago."

I glanced up. Malon was standing where Zelda had been only seconds before, looking at me inquisitively. She had a plate balanced on one hand, a stack of heavy, colorful books on the other.

"I sat down and she left," I recounted. "Guess she's just too in love with me to handle me..." I sighed dramatically. Malon giggled and, much to my surprise, took the seat that Zelda had abandoned only seconds before.

"I'm Malon," she said, and I just smiled.

"I know," I answered, watching her as she set her books to the side and took the lid off of a cup to reveal a watery green liquid.

"What is-"

"I'm a vegan," she explained quickly, "and _this _is asparagus soup. Care for a slurp?"

I frowned. "No."

"Your loss." She filled the spoon with some of the liquid and then stuck the spoon in her mouth, leaving it there as she reached over to open one of her brilliantly colored books. She flipped through a few pages before landing on one that seemed to satisfy her. She had been focusing on something for a few seconds before I decided to interrupt her reading.

"Malon?"

She removed the spoon from her mouth. "Yes?" she answered, glancing up with wide, bright eyes.

"Why does Zelda... How come Zelda... she kind of, why does she-"

"-Hate you so much?" Malon cut in.

"Yeah. That."

She seemed to consider it for a minute, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers as she pondered my question. "I think," she said, her voice airy, "that you bother her because you're... different. You two aren't anything alike; you don't fit her mold."

That was the first time anyone had used that word to describe Zelda's lifestyle. _Mold_. Malon put it like Zelda and Link were processed, programmed, like robots. It was like they had been created in a factory; their father's factory, I assumed. They were raised to be just one certain way; to differentiate would be to cut themselves off.

"I suppose the headmaster has something to do with Zelda's attitude," I surmised.

"Oh, certainly."

"And her mom?" I asked. Malon bowed her head, giving a short, wordless shrug. "Oh," I answered quietly. "No mom. Same here."

Malon took a thoughtful slurp of soup. Once she had swallowed, she grinned. "You know," she mused, "you're not nearly as bad as Zelda's been saying you are."

"What's she been saying?" I asked, not sure whether I wanted to know the answer.

"Oh, that you're a bully. That you won't respect her personal space, that you prevent her from getting things done, that you're a distraction..."

"A distraction, huh?" I asked with a smirk. "Sounds like progress."

Malon giggled. "Anyway, my point is, I don't see why she hates you. I think you're perfectly friendly. A little weird, though."

Wait. What? _Me_, weird? Sheesh.

"I'm having a bonfire this Saturday," Malon informed me, "want to come?"

"I don't know. Who'll be there?"

"Oh, I'm not sure. Whoever knows about it. My parents are out of town, so my sister Cremia and I are taking advantage of it. We live awhile out of the city. My father owns Lon Lon Ranch, so..."

I almost choked on my fork at that. "Lon Lon Ranch? Like, the major farming corporation? With the Lon Lon Milk gallons lining grocery shelves? With the _Chateau Romani _commercials?"

"Um. Yeah, I guess," Malon answered with a shrug. "Anyway, you're invited."

She shrugged all that off like it was _no big deal_. But her father was a multi-millionaire- didn't she care? (Was _everyone _a millionaire here?)

"Yeah," I now said. "Count me in." I finished speaking, the _click click click _of someone's heels calling me to attention. Malon and I glanced over to view a very irritated Zelda glaring at both of us accusingly.

"I didn't realize you two were friends," she said, a sharp edge to her voice.

"We weren't until now," Malon clarified. "You know, Ganondorf's really nice-"

"_Malon_," Zelda cut in, and I could hear the bitterness spilling out in each syllable. "Let's go."

"Not jealous, are you?" I joked as Malon was starting to stand up. Zelda didn't even bother to react. She just helped Malon gather her books and made to walk away.

"Wait!" I called. Zelda halted and turned, eyebrows raised.

"What, Mr. Dragmire?"

"I was wondering whether you needed a date to Malon's bonfire this weekend!" I said. A few nearby kids who had been paying attention to the conversation snickered before turning away. Zelda just rolled her eyes and stalked away. Apparently, she didn't feel like dealing with me any more.

"Let me know if you change your mind!" I yelled towards her retreating figure. And then I returned to my lunch, absolutely certain that Zelda Harkinian was, by all definitions, a robot.

**Some of these older chapters were written nearly a year ago, and looking back at them makes me realize the extent to which I made Ganon bully Zelda. I want to add a bit of a disclaimer right here- I don't endorse the way that Ganon treats her in these early chapters, and I definitely don't approve of the disrespect he has for her family. He's just a real asshole, and I'd like to acknowledge that.**

**...But alas, such is the nature of the bildungsroman.**

**As usual, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks to those of you who reviewed- please don't abandon me now!**

**-Ctj**


	3. How Not to Kidnap

Ch. 3: How Not to Kidnap

The rest of the week passed in a relative blur. After a few very unsuccessful attempts to conquer Zelda's heart and enough schoolwork to melt my brain, Saturday arrived in the form of a blessing. I was exhausted from days of being up late doing homework, only to wake up at the crack of dawn the next morning to drag my sorry ass to school.

Whatever. Point is, by the time Saturday rolled around, I kind of felt like curling up and sleeping for days. Which I might have done, if not for Malon's bonfire.

I guess the plan was to get together around 6:00 that night. I pulled on a t-shirt and jeans- damn, it felt good to get out of that school uniform- and attempted to look good while simultaneously making my good looks look effortless. I'm not really sure how well it worked out because I went to all this trouble to look impressive- I mean, I showered _twice_- and kind of looked the same when I had finished getting ready as I had before I'd even started. So I guess it was kind of a waste of time.

I had to take the bus out to Malon's place because we didn't have a car and the train didn't run that far. I usually took the subway to school, but like I said, the sub rails didn't stretch out past city boundaries, so I got stuck on the bus next to this fleshy bald man who insisted that I buy his "magic beans." Needless to say, the bus ride wasn't very enjoyable.

The bus stopped with about a quarter mile's walk left to the Lon Lon gates. Dusk was approaching and as I trod the trail towards Malon's home, I asked myself what on _earth _I was going to do at a party, trying to woo the one girl who didn't welcome me. I did assume early on that Zelda would be there.

Malon's house was tall and bleach white. It was on the crest of this hill that overlooked all these rolling hills and pastures, with horses and cows milling about off in the distance. I could see the silhouette of the barn against the setting sun. I mean, wow. What a sight.

The bonfire was being held around the back of the house. It wasn't quite sure what I had expected, because the kids there weren't uptight and all uniformed like they were in school. They were pretty laid back. I didn't see Malon anywhere, so I just ended up in a group of girls. I figured that if I flirted with them, Zelda might get jealous or something. Besides, I was pretty bored, so I just sat in a circle of girls and teased them. It got boring after awhile, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I hadn't seen Zelda at all since I'd arrived.

Malon was off to the side tampering with a radio. I approached her a little tentatively.

"Malon?"

She glanced up and grinned. "Ganondorf Dragmire!" she exclaimed. "When did you get here?"

"About fifteen minutes ago. Uh... is Zelda here?" I asked, scratching the back of my head. Malon noticed the gesture and giggled.

"No," she answered airily. "She couldn't make it. Neither could Link."

"Why?" I asked, and her face fell.

"Not allowed," she answered quickly. "Their father likes to keep them close at hand."

I groaned. "Zelda's father could tell her to jump off the roof and she would listen, wouldn't she?" I theorized. Malon didn't really respond, she just kind of frowned. I think she was unsure as to whether I was actually serious.

She sighed quietly. "I just wish they were here. Not because I want them here but because I think they'd like to be here. They _never _come to parties, and I think that maybe just once..." She trailed off.

I thought about it for a second. "Would Zelda get in trouble if we... I don't know, kidnapped her? Brought her here against her will?"

Malon considered this for a moment. "I don't know," she answered. "I guess that she _technically _wouldn't be punished for it." Her eyes lit up. "Ganondorf, that's a wonderful idea! Oh, the more I think about it, the more I like it. Yes, let's do it. Let's kidnap Zelda and _force _her to come to the bonfire!"

A short list of reasons why kidnapping Zelda Harkinian was a blatantly stupid idea:

1: Kidnapping was a crime.

2: Zelda knew that.

3: And she would kill me for it.

4: Not to mention that her father was my headmaster.

5: And he would punish me for it.

6: Also, have I mentioned I'm not very tactful?

"Let's do it," I said decisively. Malon squealed in agreement.

"Oh, this will be fun!" she exclaimed. "Let me just tell Cremia!" She scurried away for a second, and I watched as she engaged her slightly older, slightly less odd sister in conversation. After she had gotten her sister to roll her eyes and nod in agreement, Malon returned to my side.

"Cremia said she'd handle things while we're gone," Malon announced. "And it gets better- Cremia said we could take her porsche! She _never _lets me take the porsche..."

A porsche.

Go figure.

…

The Harkinians lived back in the city. Hyrule City was kind of confusing because it had three parts. It had the metropolis, with actual skyscrapers and neon lights and billboards that lit up city square at night. Then it had the slums, where I was stuck in that ten story apartment complex trying to block out all the noise around me. And then there was the classy, historic part of the city. The historic part was all old brick buildings pressed up against sidewalks. This was the part of the city with all of the decorated storefronts and sidewalk cafes. The school was there, too.

This was the part of the city that Zelda lived in.

Malon made the twenty-minute drive in under ten minutes. I swear, I'd never met a girl who gave fewer shits than Malon of Lon Lon Ranch. (I had yet to learn a last name- I was actually starting to think she didn't have one.)

She parked a block away from the Harkinians' place because I guess she didn't want to attract attention. (This was coming from the girl whose purpose in life was to do exactly the opposite.) She showed me how to lace around the trees to access the backyard without being seen or heard. Apparently, the Harkinians had some housemaid who doubled as their security system, so sneaking in and out wasn't as easy as it was for other teenagers. Luckily, Malon had done this before. She showed me around the back of the house to a small concave corner where a vine crept up the stone wall. She gave me a smack on the butt- something that I did not and still do not consider to be out of her character- and then hoisted me up onto the dangling vine, supporting my weight as I gained my footing. She followed swiftly, outpacing me in the climb and ending up at the top of the vine before I'd even made it halfway. I tried really hard to not look up her skirt when she did that and might have failed just a little bit.

Sorry, Malon, if you're reading this.

She reached up and opened the unlatched window as quietly as she could, slipping inside and then reaching a hand down to help me clamber through as well. Then she closed the window just as quickly as she had opened it and swept me into a nearby hallway.

"This house is huge," she explained. "Kind of like a maze, I'd say."

And she wasn't lying. She pulled me by the wrist through the hallways, which crossed and overlapped each other in strange places. I'm telling you now, Zelda's house was old, and I mean _really _old. The kind of old where taking one step made the whole thing creak and groan in protest. I didn't know how we were supposed to be stealthy in a place like that, especially when I had all the poise of a drunk moblin. But Malon didn't seem to have any trouble. As soon as she heard the slightest trace of footsteps, she would whisk me into some sort of hiding place- a broom closet, or an open room, and even once a dumbwaiter- and wait for the footsteps to cease. And then we would keep walking towards Zelda's room, a trek which was way longer than I had anticipated.

One such situation occurred when we had almost reached Zelda's bedroom. We were passing over the foyer, the staircase just in view, when we heard movement downstairs. Malon sidled up against the wall as quickly as she could, ducking into the shadow that it cast. I stood beside her, and for a second everything was quiet; the only sound was that of our nervous breathing.

Then, there was a shout from downstairs; I don't know exactly what was said, but I recognized Link's voice. Then I heard him cry out in pain. He must have stumbled into something because a split second later something shattered, and I made out a few short sobs before Malon was on the move again, dragging me with her.

"Do you think we should leave?" I whispered suddenly, my confidence dropping exponentially. That fight had to have been between Link and his dad. I could only imagine what would happen if the headmaster caught _us_. The thought actually scared me, and I'm usually not scared of anything.

"No," Malon murmured, and I could hear the determination in her voice. "We need to get Zelda out of here." She turned another corner and then stopped outside of a door, not bothering to knock before she pushed it open soundlessly. The light from Zelda's bedroom flooded into the darkness of the hallway, and for a second, Malon and I both stood there and just looked in.

Zelda's room was cavernous, to say the least. It was decorative and starch and everything was perfectly in place. And yet something seemed wrong about it. I don't know what.

She wasn't facing us. She was sitting at a desk with her back to us, her blonde hair actually down for once. She had it pulled back in a headband, and I almost didn't recognize her out of uniform. She was in a pale pink blouse and tan slacks; in my opinion, the loose fitting clothes looked too baggy and made her look kind of thin. I didn't like seeing her thin like that, didn't like seeing her small. I suppose Zelda wouldn't have looked or acted small if she had known that Malon and I were watching her, but she didn't know, so she didn't act.

I think that was the first time I realized that Zelda wasn't all she was cracked up to be. Because for once, she looked like a girl, not a... well, not a violent librarian. And something turned within me- guilt? Confusion?

Malon ruined my moment of calm admiration by zipping past me, taking Zelda by surprise when she slipped one hand over her mouth and another around her shoulders and held her there. Zelda gave a muffled shriek and tried to break free, writhing her limbs in protest. Malon was stronger, though, and Zelda didn't stand a chance against the farmgirl. Malon shushed her and revealed her identity, at which point Zelda calmed down.

"Shh, don't worry, Zel. It's me, it's Malon."

Zelda stopped moving and Malon withdrew her arms. For a second, they just stared at each other. Then, Zelda spoke.

"How'd you get in?"

"Back window."

"I thought Impa had sealed that up after the last time you snuck in."

Malon smirked. "Doubt it. Impa usually likes it when I sneak in."

I felt like I was missing something rather important here. Who was Impa? I didn't bother asking, realizing at this point it would do more harm than good to pry.

"Come on," Malon said. "I'm breaking you out of here."

"Thank _Nayru_," Zelda said, and I was shocked. Zelda was _agreeing? _But- but- no way, Zelda was such a rule follower, she would never-

"Let's get out of here before all hell breaks loose," Zelda said, and then pointed toward a staircase. "We can actually get out this way, if we're quick enough. Leads to the backdoor."

"I know," Malon answered. "I _have _been here before, Zellie. Come on, Ganondorf!"

Zelda froze midway through standing up. Her head snapped over in my direction and she narrowed her eyes.

"_You're _here?" she said. Her voice iced over when she said it.

"I've been here," I answered coolly.

"That changes things," Zelda announced, and she sat back down stubbornly.

"What?!" cried Malon with a sigh. "Zel, you're being ridiculous. You're not telling me you actually want to _stay._"

"I won't leave. I _can't _leave," Zelda insisted.

"But-"

"No. Don't even try." She crossed her arms and crossed her legs and then stuck her nose up in the air like her decision was absolutely final.

Malon sighed melodramatically. "Zelda Harkinian," she announced, "you have left me with absolutely no choice. Ganondorf, give me a hand over here."

And with all the swiftness she could muster, Malon grabbed Zelda by the waist and handed her to me, at which point I threw her over my shoulder. Zelda started to kick and scream, and that's when we made a break for it. The three of us- well, the two of us, actually- made a mad dash down the staircase, unlocking the side door and escaping into the yard. Malon made a beeline down the sidewalk for the porsche and I did the best I could, having to support Zelda's weight. We almost made it- I swear to Din, we would have made it, I was reaching for the handle of the car door and everything- and then my body crumpled over in pain when Zelda decided it would be a good idea to knee me in the crotch. She began to sprint but I stumbled forward and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, preventing her from leaving. Zelda howled in protest.

"Hands off, Dragmire!" she cried. But I just shook my head. I could feel the rage boiling in my stomach; finally, I snapped.

"You'd rather stay in that hell of a house then spend a few minutes with me?!" I shouted as Zelda struggled to break my hold. "Am I really that bad?!"

Zelda froze. Her voice came in in one one quick, shrill breath. "This is my house, and my family, and you wouldn't know the first thing about it! Stay away from my house, and STAY AWAY FROM ME!" The statement had ended in screaming.

I think she startled me enough that my grip faltered, permitting her escape. She took a few steps backwards, her hair a mess, her clothes rumpled, staring at Malon and I in absolute shock. And we just stared back, equally awed by her words.

And then she turned on her heel and sprinted down the sidewalk, sprinted faster than I'd ever seen anyone else run in their life, and I realized that she wasn't just upset; she was freaking terrified.

I turned to Malon, who was similarly dumbstruck. And then we returned to the car, and from there we returned to the bonfire, and when we re-entered the party it was like we had never left at all.

But I felt absolutely awful.

**I don't know why I'm updating this so quickly. The chapters are short, and traffic graphs claim nobody's really reading it. I figured I'd put out the third chapter, since that's where the plot starts.**

**Also, I'm going to get back into doing this, so... Next chapter: Ganon faces the repercussions of his assault mission on the Harkinian home, and learns a few things he probably shouldn't along the way.**

**Please leave a review! **


	4. In the Event of Social Tension

Chapter 4: In the Event of Social Tension

Life hack: the easiest and swiftest way to get out of an awkward situation is to screw up something so severely that everyone within a fifty foot radius runs like hell. You know, lest they have to suffer second-hand embarrassment.

Bear in mind that after the incident at the Harkinian household, I was dead-set on never ever ever ever ever _ever _having to see Zelda again in my life _ever_, so when Aveil told me that I-absolutely-had-to-go-to-school-on-Monday-no-exce ptions, I slammed a door in her face. Then I opened the door and apologized, because really, Aveil's one of the only people in the universe that I genuinely like, and you have to be delicate about these things.

"You got yourself into this mess," was all Aveil said when I confronted her about it. And to think that this woman was supposed to give maternal advice.

"Actually, Nabooru made me-"

"-Nope," Aveil cut in, trying to serve the younger girls- Sirbe, who was thirteen, and Abenu, who was eleven- some supper in our cheap little kitchen. "You started it when you impersonated her in that email."

"She made me-"

"-It was an immature thing to do," Aveil clarified. "You do realize that, right?"

I stared at Aveil for a few seconds. I liked her much better than I liked Nabooru. She was a year younger than Nabs, but acted ten years older. Her face was rounder, softer, her hair was a little lighter. Like me, she had our mom's eyes. Not our dad's, like Nabooru.

Maybe that was one of the reasons I never really liked Nabooru. I don't know.

"I understand," I said after a few seconds, hanging my head.

"And it's your responsibility to make it up to that girl," Aveil continued. "You're going to have to apologize. You at least owe her that."

"Are you sure I can't just fake my death?" I begged, and winced when she smacked me with the blunt side of a spatula. "Okay- yes, ma'am-"

I felt a tap on my arm. I glanced up. Abenu's palm rested on one of my crossed forearms.

"Don't worry, Ganon," she said softly. "I'm sure everything will be okay if you just say you're sorry." The ghost of a smile crossed my face.

Abenu had our mother's eyes, too.

…

Damn it.

I slammed my locker shut in aggravation. Still angry with myself, I reopened it and then slammed it shut a second time. Just for good measure.

Because I'd just single-handedly butchered the worst confrontation of all time.

_Zelda_, I'd said when I saw her across the hall. _Hey, Zelda, just wanted to say I'm sorry for Saturday-_

Ugh. My stupid voice kept running through my head. With a sigh, I rested my forehead against the front of my locker and let my lungs deflate. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_, I thought, bumping my forehead on the locker a few times in a row.

The confrontation ran through my mind again. I guess I couldn't forget it now.

_"Zelda!" I said, running towards her as soon as she came into view. My plan was to talk to her as soon as I saw her so that my nerves wouldn't be able to talk some sense into me first. "Hey, Zelda, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for Saturday-"_

"_What do you mean?" she answered. My jaw fell open. _

_ "You're kidding," I said immediately. "You _are _kidding, right?"_

_ "I have no idea what you're talking about," she answered calmly, coming to a halt before her locker and stowing away a book inside of it._

_ "Don't pretend it didn't happen," was all I said. "Don't pretend you didn't see me, 'cause that would be a total lie-"_

_ Now she turned to me and exhaled. "Of course I saw you. I remember everything. I want to know what it is you're apologizing for."_

_ "Fine. I'm apologizing for breaking into your house and trying to force you to attend a bonfire," I answered, all the while repressing an eyeroll. Zelda's face hardened._

_ "That's false," she corrected stiffly. She unfroze and continued putting books back in her locker. The way she did it seemed too rushed, too angry. "You are not sorry for trying to kidnap me, which- may I point out- is completely illegal. Furthermore, you are not even slightly guilty that you tried to force me to attend a bonfire which I had no interest in whatsoever. In fact, you take pride in these endeavors, and you told me this by voicing your apologies with as much sarcasm as you could muster."_

_ I just stared at her, slightly dumbstruck. Everything she had just said was true._

_ "You are sorry," she continued, refusing to make eye contact, "because you carelessly and shamelessly invaded upon my privacy, which resulted in you learning something about me that not even _you _wanted to know." Now she turned a keen eye on me. "Do you want me to repeat that?"_

_ "I do not," I answered._

_ "And do you deny any of that?" she pressed._

_ "I do not."_

_ "Good. In that case-" she looked like she had something else to say, but then she stopped. "I- I'll see you later," she finished, which sounded very odd and forced. Then she turned on her heel and pretty much fled the scene._

That part hadn't made sense to me until a few seconds later, when the headmaster had brushed past. I assumed that his appearance had spurred Zelda's departure. Kind of like mine usually did.

…

That same day, we received our first assignment from Old Professor Ezlo. He seemed pretty excited about it, because his green flat cap was even more crooked than usual.

"As you may know," he was explaining, "each year at our beloved Hyrule City Academy, we hold a competition composition- no, sorry, switch those-" he paused and scratched his whiskers- "erm- writing contest," he clarified, and an _oooooh _arose from the students. "It's quite the event- sponsored by all sorts of patrons of the arts. As usual, our most enthusiastic- and by far the academy's favorite- patron is a Mr. Jovani, who will be awarding a massive prize to the young author who nabs first place!"

Murmurings of excitement skittered across the students, and a girl named Ruto shot her hand- um, flipper- straight into the air, her scales glistening in the fluorescent lights. "Oh! Professor, does it _shine_?!" she asked, unable to help herself.

"Can you eat it?!" cut in a hopeful goron named Goro (big surprise), who was on his third desk this year. (He'd broken two already simply by sitting at them.)

"Does it involve money?!" screeched the dutifully-named Treasure-Wad Tingle, who was notorious for selling pirated items in the parking lot before and after school.

"It is none of those things," Ezlo answered, clambering up on top of his chair to regain our attention. "The gift, my anxious pupils, is the gift of knowledge!"

The entire class groaned in chorus, flopping back in their chairs.

"Oh, hush up, now!" cried Ezlo, obviously losing patience. "There is nothing quite so valuable as knowledge, as _education_," he explained. "Mr. Jovani will be offering a scholarship equivalent to one year's tuition here at Hyrule City Academy, and if that doesn't steam your noodles, why, then, I can't guess what does."

The entire class was grumbling about being forced to come here whether they were paying or not, but I couldn't suppress the glow of hope that had festered within me. _One year… _one year, an entire year, where I could stay at HCA. Not return to that city school I'd come from- which had been all right, but I still couldn't fight the nagging in the back of my head telling me _Ganon, this place is doing you some good_. I really couldn't.

"So what do we write about?" asked Link, who was as a matter of fact in my comp class, and was as a matter of fact the brightest student in the room, and was as a matter of fact a complete and total kiss-ass.

I hated that guy.

Okay, I _sort _of hated that guy.

_Okay_, I didn't hate him. But I figured if I didn't at least dislike him, then I'd start to feel bad for him, and hating people is so much easier than caring about them.

"Whatever. You. Want," the professor answered, enunciating each word with dramatic deliberation.

"Suppose I want to write about my uncle's pot garden," piped up this kid Mido (I swear he was, like, twelve), who- fun fact- was That One Dickwad Who Always Has Something To Say.

"Then you write about your uncle's cannabis plant," Ezlo answered. Mido cast him a strange look, and it occurred to me that he probably hadn't been referencing marijuana to begin with. But that was Ezlo for you. "Now, I'll need you to follow some very simple guidelines. First, follow all conventions of the standard Hylian language…"

The class dragged on after that, but when it came to a close, I decided to linger behind for a moment. The rest of the class trickled out of the room, and Ezlo hopped down from his pile of books with an _oomph_.

"Uh- Professor-" I began, and trailed off.

"Hmmm?" Ezlo answered, a twinkle forming in his eye.

"I just- I really want to do well on this assignment-" I began, not sure where I was trying to go with this. "You see- it's just, the prize- well-"

A slight smile had formed on the old man's face.

"Ah, of course," he said, his voice assuming a tone of understanding. "Yes, I can see why that would do you some good." I felt my face go unusually warm, and I ducked my head. "Don't feel bad," Ezlo added, and I glanced up.

"Don't?"

"Don't," he repeated. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I know," I lied. _There's everything to be embarrassed about_, I grumbled internally, thinking of dilapidated buildings and broken windows and hungry kids. Ezlo was the only person at HCA besides Nabooru who had any idea where I was coming from, and it made me wickedly, dreadfully uncomfortable.

"Suppose I told you," Ezlo mused, "that I think you actually have a chance at winning."

"I'm an awful writer," I argued. "You haven't seen me try to write. It's brutal."

"It's not always about writing," Ezlo said with a wry smile. "In fact, more often than not, it's about having something to say."

Our conversation was interrupted as the door burst open, and who should stride in but Malon.

"Is Link Harkinian in here?" she asked without bothering to question whether she was interrupting something.

"I'm afraid he just left, Miss Barrow."

So she _did _have a last name.

"_Uuuuggggghhhhh_," she groaned, not bothering to withhold any of her exasperation. She paused midway through to say, "Oh, hello there, Ganondorf," and then went back to saying "_uuggghhh" _for a few more seconds.

I cast a sidelong glance at Ezlo. He was chuckling.

"_Ooooooo_, what's this?" Malon now intoned, and she moseyed towards the stack of books that Ezlo always propped himself up on. About halfway down the pile was a massive, leather-bound book with gold writing. She pulled it out from the stack and blew dust off of the cover, reading the title aloud.

_"Hyrule Historia. _Huh." She caught Ezlo's eye. "What's it about?"

"Hm?" Ezlo answered, who had become buried in a pile of schoolwork.

"Oh, well. S'pose I'll have to find out for myself." She slipped it into her schoolbag wordlessly- an act which I'm 99% sure counts as petty larceny- and then turned on her heel with a smile.

"Come along, Ganondorf. You can sit with me at lunch. Take care, Professor Ezlo!"

"What- oh, yes, and the same to you, Miss Bar- is my book pile… shorter? No… must be seeing things…"

Malon scrambled out of the room after that, and I followed closely. She led me to the dining hall, where I sat down next to her. Somehow, I ended up across from Link and diagonal from Zelda. They kept glaring at me over the tops of their sandwiches, and I found myself mentally willing Malon to splash her asparagus soup on them, please and thank you. But she didn't. She just kept slurping away, and Link and Zelda chewed their ham-on-rye condescendingly, and it really was a huge mess.

I couldn't help but wonder why the Harkinians weren't getting pissed off at Malon for sneaking into their house last Saturday. I mean, Malon and I had done exactly the same thing, so why was _I _the one getting shit for it?

Then again, there was the fact that she was Malon, and I was Ganondorf. And Link and Zelda had history with Malon, history which only made sense to them- which gave them the ability to communicate through gestures and smiles and sentence fragments. History which gave Malon a visa into their private life. A visa I had yet to earn- a visa that at this point I might _never _earn. One I didn't even want.

...But, and there was always a 'but,' _Nabooru_. Nabooru and this mad scheme for power, this insane tirade concerning blackmail and school-level politics and what-have-you. Nabs and her insistence that I follow Zelda around to the point of being absurdly creepy, her insistence that I force myself into someone's life without permission when clearly neither party desired it. And the idea that I could even bring myself to worm my way into Zelda's life, only to break her spirit and degrade her- well, it seemed _evil_.

And I don't know why, but the word _evil _on its own shook me in a way I wasn't used to.

Malon continued to ramble the entire way through lunch, telling us all about a new vegan recipe she'd learned, and how she just wanted to get off the ranch because she hated owning livestock, and how she was reading a new book on philosophy, and how this new indie record had been released that she loved, and about the latest breakthroughs in science, and about a presidential election in a far-off country that didn't really concern us...

And the entire time, the only thing I could concentrate on was that Link had a black eye, and that no one even _dared _to mention that.

…

Do you ever think to yourself, "Hey, I've got a great idea," so you follow through with that idea, and it just leads you to the wrong place at the wrong time, at which point you say to yourself, "perhaps that idea was actually a shit idea?" Because it happens to me a lot.

Exhibit A: that afternoon.

So I was walking home. The school sometimes has this shuttle that runs kids down to the bus stop, but I wasn't too keen on taking the city bus- just one trip with the "magic beans" guy had been enough to do me in. Walking home seemed nicer. I was halfway through the sports complex, hands in my pockets, totally unassuming and doing my own thing, when what do you know: voices.

Now, any old voices aren't any concern of mine. Except they weren't any old voices. They belonged very distinctly to Zelda and Link, which reeled me right in. Imagine the person you kind of despise, but you're mostly just intrigued by. Now, imagine them saying these words exactly:

"I don't care, it's _your _choice, not mine-"

"Yes, and I'm _choosing _to keep it a secret!"

Imagine that.

Okay, I'm sure you know exactly what I did next. Those voices were ringing down from the bleachers, and it took no more than ten seconds for me to be standing right underneath them.

"But you said it yourself," Zelda was arguing, and her voice was shaking. "You said you wanted to tell people, that you were sick of covering it up- Father knows already…"

And then, there it was. Damn it. My _conscience._

_ Don't do this_, it told me. _You've already invaded their privacy enough!_

But a darker, louder voice interrupted halfway through. _Do it_, the voice rumbled.

"Yeah, but imagine what it would do to your campaign, Zelda! Do you know how much that would utterly suck-"

"This isn't about me!"

Whatever fraction of a conscience I had vanished in a virtual poof of smoke. Something that could ruin Zelda's campaign in a heartbeat and let me off the hook? This was too good to be true. I tuned in closer.

"That doesn't mean I can't _think _about you!" Link was arguing. You know, for two people arguing over something so apparently private, they had quite a way of letting the whole world know.

"No." Zelda's voice had gone surprisingly meek. "No, of course it doesn't. It's your choice, totally yours, but please, don't think for a minute that I care either way."

I was smiling stupidly- here it came, the secret of a lifetime, I could hear it already- what was it? A discipline issue? Had they been busted for something? Vandalism, maybe? Probably. It's always vandalism. Or drugs. Ask anyone.

"I know you don't care," Link said, and I waited-

-No, wait-

-And then, nothing. My jaw dropped. My stomach swooped. And I _realized_.

You hear stories all the time about kids who don't turn out the way their parents want them to, so instead of parents just accepting their kid's choices, the kid is forced to conform to the parents'. Which is bullshit, by the way. It should never be like that, but just hold on.

Pieces were coming together, now, and I couldn't ward them off. And I didn't need to hear another word. I backed far away from the bleachers and pivoted on my heel, wanting to hear no more. Somehow, I managed to bump straight into Malon.

"What are you-"

"What are _you-_"

We fell silent. Evidently, Malon had been on her way to join the Harkinians when she saw me. Not good. Not good. _Very _not good.

"Were you eavesdropping?" she whispered, blue eyes round as buttons.

I said nothing. Nodded slowly. And then she just puffed out her cheeks. "Well. Thank gods it was you and not- uh- somebody else-"

I didn't ask to whom she was referring. I only stumbled over my next sentence, trying and failing to find the words I needed to ask this question, and to ask it the right way.

And then, being the inarticulate idiot that I am, I phrased my question _perfectly._

"Link- he's, uh- he's gay- isn't he?"

I couldn't help but wonder how I hadn't seen it before. His defensive reaction to the joke I made the first time I met him should have been a dead giveaway.

Malon's face relaxed a bit. Her lips softened into an expression of surprise, and then she just pressed them together and nodded.

"But you can't- you can't tell, not without permission- we all agreed-"

"I know," I said, cutting her off. She peered up at me and raked her hands through her thick hair uncomfortably.

"Thank you, Ganondorf."

I nodded stiffly and jammed my hands further into my pockets.

"Listen," I said, trying to find the words I was looking for, "listen, I'm really sorry- genuinely- I feel like shit, Malon, and-"

"Don't tell _me _that," she said, brushing it off. "I'm not mad at you."

"But I'm an asshole. Stop it. Stop protesting. Malon, I mean it, I am."

"Yes, okay, you are," she agreed. "A little bit. But listen to me, Ganondorf- I'm not the one you need to talk to. You need to find Zelda and tell _her _that." I blinked in surprise, and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Don't give me that look. I _know _you're after her, and though I'm not sure why, I'm not about to stop you. Because you see-" and here she paused- "you see, Zelda hasn't had a lot going for her lately, and she's been quite lonely. So she's a little scared of you, I think. And it's going to frighten her when she realizes that you know these things about her family. So you need to be ready for that, but listen- you don't realize it now, but it's going to be worth it. Zelda is going to be _so _worth it."

And I wanted to believe Malon, I really did. But right now I needed to digest everything I'd heard- needed to make sense of who Link was and who his father was and how they both affected who Zelda was. What I really needed was some time for introspection, and there was no way to achieve any with Malon staring at me like that.

Better life hack: the easiest way to get out of an awkward situation is to hightail it out of there. I've found that it works better than scaring everyone else away, after all.

So I just thanked her. And excused myself. And walked and walked and walked until I'd found my way back home.

**Hello again! Sorry for the slower update this time around. I'm trying to go for quick updates, but I had to re-write this entire chapter from scratch, and I might be taking the same route with the next few as well. These chapters are all very old, and they need some tweaking. No, not twerking. That would be abhorrent.**

**Next chapter: Ganon experiments with introspection and we get a closer look at his home life.**

**Now that you're done here, go read **_**Ocarina of Time **_**by Norkix. He finally updated, and I played a role in writing the most recent chapter. It's a party, and you're all invited. But only if you're hella rad. Bring a snack.**

**Special thanks to anyone who reviewed. As usual, you're my favorite readers, and I encourage you to continue telling me what you liked/disliked/loathed-with-a-searing-passion. **

**-Ctj**


	5. Lessons in History and Introspection

Chapter 5: Lessons in History and Introspection

I stormed into our apartment late that afternoon with a scowl on my face, slamming the door shut, opening it, slamming it again twice as hard, and opening my mouth to scream.

"NABOORU!"

She snaked out of the kitchen and leaned on the doorframe, still in uniform. "You rang?" she drawled, crossing her arms.

I marched up to her. "I want out," I said, "_now_."

"Why's that?"

"Because this whole thing is _cruel_, that's why. Zelda Harkinian's life is already screwed up."

"Oh, please. Don't act like you're actually worried about her well-being," Nabs scoffed, and jammed a finger into my chest. "_You _just don't want to be caught up in it. _You _don't want to become responsible for _her _problems."

I stared blankly. I hadn't realized how true that statement was until she said it out loud.

"Don't act like some kind of knight in shining armor, Ganon," she advised, returning to the kitchen. "You're selfish. It's in your nature. And you know what? So am I."

She'd returned, now, to her seat at the table, and had immersed herself in calculus homework. I glared angrily at the back of her head, and when she told me to go away, I stomped my feet with every step until I'd reached my bedroom. Then I slammed _that _door and flopped facedown on the bed.

I pressed my face into my pillow and inhaled. The fabric smelt grossly of cigarettes, and I turned on my side, eyes watering. Smoking was something I'd abandoned months ago, but the smell of it lingered on everything I owned. The bedsheets. My clothes. It was a scent I never noticed until I quit. Ever since, I've been able to sense even the most minuscule hint of it.

My mind started getting clogged up with my own internal debate. So Nabooru wasn't going to let me out of her stupid game. Now what? Did I play along? Keep chasing after Zelda Harkinian, figure out what made her tick, and then destroy her?

Or did I surrender? Give up? Tell Nabooru that I couldn't be a part of this? But there would be consequences for that…

What about option three- reveal Link's secret while it was fresh in my mind? _I_ didn't care that Link was gay- how the hell did that affect me? Of course, that did nothing to dilute the fact that I'd been incredibly rude to him…

_"Quit staring, or I might start to think you're checking me out." _It had been a harmless statement, a joke to throw Link off his mark when I first met him. It's kind of a common attribute of most guys to not be taken seriously. We don't even take _ourselves _seriously sometimes. We just throw out harmless insults to knock another guy back a few paces. We don't mean any of it. And I didn't mean _that _when I said it, either.

But I was wrong. It wasn't harmless, because for all I know, it was true. Which meant that what I said wasn't just irritating, it was offensive. Truly offensive. Because when I insult people, I don't insult them in a way that would hurt them. I never have. That would be like going to Malon and saying, "You're odd and you don't fit in anywhere." This statement would be 100% true, which is why I'd never say it. It would hit home. And I hate it when people do that.

Anecdote time: back in the seventh grade, this one kid named Zant confronted me in the hallway. Zant was this geeky weird kid that never took a bath and liked to rant about genocide. And sniff glue. Stuff like that. Every grade has at least one kid like that. Anyway, nobody ever took him seriously. And then one day he just walked up to me in the hall and told me that he was just like me because his father didn't want him, either. To this day, I'm not sure whether he meant what he said. But it doesn't matter, because what he said was true, and sometimes it still bothers me.

Because my father didn't want me. Still doesn't want me, wherever he is. And I hate him more than I hate anyone in the world.

I try not to hate people too much, but I usually do anyway because liking people is just so damn hard in comparison. And hating people is easy. Everything is so defined, and you can glare at your enemies and complain about them and not feel bad when they're having an awful day.

And I was trying really hard to hate Link Harkinian, and I was also having a terrible time doing it because I knew how unfair it was. But still, something within me instinctually antagonized him, and it was something I couldn't totally place.

It made sense why Link's secret getting out would ruin Zelda's campaign. She and Link were close, and the school was really old fashioned sometimes. We had to button our shirts so tightly we couldn't _breath_. We said the Hyrulian National Pledge daily. Oaths of abstinence were emblazoned on the locker room doors- well, more or less. We purposefully tortured ourselves to fit Headmaster Harkinian's mold.

So, yes. If people knew Link wasn't exactly who they thought he was- a star-student and Harkinian's most prized son- and _then _caught wind of the tensions in the Harkinian family, then the headmaster and his children's austere sense of power would begin to disintegrate. Girls would fall out of love with Link, the headmaster would be antagonized more and more, and most importantly, the driving force backing Zelda's sense of power- her father- would vanish, and there would be nothing left to her reputation.

That's the thing that sucks about reputations. They're far too fragile, and it was pretty much all that Zelda had left to her name.

Slowly, I rolled off of the bed and dragged my feet toward the window. The glass wobbled in the frame as I opened it, cold air surging into the room and eclipsing me. Wrapping my arms around my chest, I stepped over the windowpane and landed on the fire escape, breathing deeply of the chilly October air and closing my eyes briefly. The cold air caught me off-guard and struck something within me; I shivered, but my entire body relaxed, and slowly, I made my way up the fire escape.

The metal clanged underneath my feet as I moved, passing the ninth, then the tenth story, and finally making it up to the roof.

The roof of our building is probably my favorite place in the world. It's flat and concrete, with all sorts of weird pipes and chimneys sticking out of one end. But the other end is smooth, stained by the elements- you know, rain, that sort of thing- and on that smooth surface, usually untouched, are two cinderblocks.

Back then, nobody ever went up onto the roof except for me. It was the only place in an otherwise cramped life where I could really get two seconds of solitude, and tonight was one of the nights where I really felt I needed it. I cantered over to the edge of the roof, leaning forward against the short wall that framed the edge of the roof and gazing out at the city.

Really majestic image, I know.

But here's the thing: Hyrule City looked beautiful. The sun was going down, the sky was adopting this rich shade of purple, and the buildings in the distance were shimmering with light.

Poking up above most other roofs was the steeple of the Temple of Time. From here, it just looked like another building- albeit a bit pointy, you know how these religious buildings are- but if you were down below, looking up at it, you'd probably think it was the most magnificent building in the universe.

For one thing, nobody knows when it was built. It's been around as long as I can remember, and as long as my teachers can remember, and as long as my teachers' _grandparents _can remember- as long as _their _grandparents can remember, too, and whenever you look back in history, it's been around for as long as history can remember- you get the idea. It's been around pretty much forever.

The only other building that old is Hyrule City Academy, and one thing everyone these days knows is that HCA was once Hyrule Castle. Yes, you heard that right- _the _Hyrule Castle, the seat of Hyrule's monarchy until the senate was established in the nineteenth century.

You probably don't want a history lesson, but hear me out: I'm almost done.

Basically, there was a monarchy, and it was a fair and just monarchy (most of the time), and the ruling figure was usually (you guessed it) a king, who usually had the very unfortunate name of Daphnes, and so forth. Now, Old King Daphnes was sitting in his throne one day when, for seemingly no reason at all, all hell broke loose. Out of nowhere, zoras wanted a say in the state and gorons wanted a say in the state and those little bushes that spit coconuts at you wanted a say in the state. It was a mess. So King Daphnes created a royal council which took representatives from almost every race, fleshed it out until the royal council was massive- like, almost one hundred members- and then the council's first course of action was to kick out Old King Daphnes and create a representative government for the people.

And now you know.

Hyrule Castle fell into the hands of the senate, and the poor senate, having no idea what to do with such an old, rickety, probably haunted building, discarded it and opted for a newer, nicer capitol building in which to meet. Daphnes' line more or less faded from history, spreading out (as most family trees do) until nobody knew whether they were related to Daphnes or not (a few people got fined for claiming they were the lost heir to a discarded throne, but that's a different story). Finally, since nobody knew who _actually owned _Hyrule Castle, it fell into the hands of the government. The government put it up for sale, a board of educators and rich people got together, purchased the building for, like, half a billion rupees, and viola: Hyrule City Academy was born.

That being said, there are still parts of the building that have been boarded up for over a century, or so they say. Rumors go around sometimes that HCA is haunted by ghosts of royalty and servants, one of whom is an allegedly hot princess, though her name has been totally erased from history.

But the Temple of Time- now, there's a whole different story. Like I said, nobody knows who built it, but it's never changed hands and has served the same purpose since the day it was created: prayer.

Back in my early days at HCA, the Temple of Time was a building that I passed daily walking to school and back, but I'd only been inside once or twice, and that's because people made me. School trips. Award ceremonies. Vandalism. You know, boring things.

It's a crazy building, though. Massive glass windows and thick mahogany doors and vaulted ceilings with scenes of old legends and myths painted on it. It's wild.

But there's another thing about the Temple of Time. Something most people don't know.

When you go around the corner from the Temple, there's this big brick building, and it's run by the same people in charge of the Temple. There's a sign hanging over the door labeled _The Sage House_, and when you go inside, you're in a massive cafeteria. Go upstairs: game room. Third and fourth floors: bathrooms. Laundry machines. Rows and rows of mattresses on the floor.

And the _people_. Beat-up hylians, dried-out zoras, soft gorons…

It's a shelter. A homeless shelter. And I lived there for _years_.

My mind was buzzing that afternoon, but seeing the Temple of Time reminded me now how lucky I was to be in my situation. A warm place to live. A family that cared about me. A fantastic school- at least for now.

I'm an ostentatious douchebag. I _know _I'm an ostentatious douchebag.

But I'm not as dumb, not as shallow, maybe, as I seem.

I heard the clanging of heels ascending the fire escape, and turned just in time to catch sight of Aveil. She was wrapped in a thin shawl, her vibrant hair fluttering in the breeze. She looked quite pretty. Actually, Aveil's always been beautiful. I hope she knows that.

"How'd you find me?" I asked. She smiled tenderly.

"I know what you're doing. This is where you come when you're upset."

"That would do it."

She crossed the roof until she was at my side, leaning against the edge and looking out at the city with me.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you really?" she inquired. "Are you sure? Are you hungry? Tired? The girls already ate... there's a bit left on the stove if you'd like supper."

"I'm not hungry," I answered bluntly.

"Tired?" she repeated.

"Not really."

"How's school going?" she now asked, searching my face for a clue before I'd even opened my mouth to respond. For a second, I considered lying. But then I looked at my sister again, who'd followed me up here because she was honestly wondering if I was okay.

So I told her everything. I recounted the task Nabooru had given me, and reminded her of the disaster that had occurred at the Harkinian's house over the weekend. And I talked about how Zelda hated me more than ever, and how I couldn't decide if I hated her or just pitied her, but how I knew I wanted nothing to do with her. And I explained that Zelda had a shitty home life, and that only Malon and I knew about it, and that I had absolutely no clue how to break through to Zelda. And how I knew that I had to break Zelda's heart, had to treat her like a prop, and yet there was a part of me- however small- that actually wanted to help her because I felt so bad for her.

It sounded very messy and confusing when I tried to explain it, but Aveil just took it all in, nodding slowly as I asked for her advice. She pondered it for a moment. Finally, she exhaled.

"I honestly think that you should stop altogether," she told me. My face fell, but I listened anyway. "This poor girl doesn't need to be bothered by you. By the sounds of it, she's going through a lot right now, and Nabooru's antics are the last thing she needs on her plate. Breaking Zelda's system sounds like it could end chaotically. Ganon... I don't want you unleashing something that you can't handle."

When I was sure that she had finished speaking, I intervened. "I _can't _do that, though," I explained. "I already talked to Nabs. _Begged _her to let me out of it. But she knows... you know. My secret. And she's going to tell people- Aveil, she'll ruin my _life_, and it's not fair- it's not the sort of thing she should be allowed to hold over my head, but she _is_."

Now Aveil's mouth contorted to the side. "I see." She stood up and paced to the other side of the roof, obviously trying to find a way to respond. Then she took a deep breath, resting her palms on the edge of the roof and exhaling slowly. She didn't turn around, but just started speaking into the night air, her back still facing me.

"Some decisions," she began, "are hard to make. Painfully hard. And oftentimes, we make decisions with ourselves in mind. And that's okay. Our own welfare is very important. But sometimes... sometimes, we have to reach out. And we have to think about how a decision affects everyone around us." Her head dropped as she spoke her next words. "When Mom died, I had to make the hardest decision of my life," she explained. "I had to drop out of school to take care of you, Sirbe, and Abenu. And while I did this, I was forced to watch Nabooru continue on through school, chase her dreams, achieve great things... all while leaving her family behind." She turned slowly. "It kills me every day to have made that decision," she admitted, "but it was a sacrifice that I made without myself in mind. Do you understand?"

I gave a slow nod, not wanting to look at her. Of _course _I understood. I thought about Aveil's sacrifice all the time. I could never forget it; she made the choice she did because it was either that or foster care, and Nabooru sure as hell didn't care what happened to us. She'd made that clear early on.

So I just gave a small, "Yes, I understand." And then Aveil flashed one last smile- just for me- before retreating back down the fire escape and into the apartment.

The noise from the two upper stories had ceased long ago, leaving just the distant sound of the city. But even those sounds seemed quiet and unreal; the traffic, the trains, the pedestrians... they all seemed otherworldly as I sat alone on that roof, not really sure what to think or how to feel.

I've said it a million times now and I'll say it again. I love Aveil. And in that moment, I loved her more than ever before. And I respected her, and her selflessness continued to awe me every day. She was astonishing, and brave, and wonderful, and I loved her.

She was the mother I'd never had.

But I still wasn't ready to accept her advice.

**Holy cow, can you say "hiatus?" Sorry sorry sorry. Okay. Next few chapters are already written, so we're good there.**

**Next chapter: When Ganon and Zelda get a few moments of uninterrupted privacy, Ganon makes a discovery, Zelda punches him in the face, and both parties are surprised by the results.**

**Please review! Giant "thank you" to anyone who's been dropping feedback.**


	6. Coffee Shops are NOT Romantic

Ch. 6: Coffee Shops are NOT Romantic

I avoided Zelda and Link for the next few days because I was afraid of doing something stupid. It wouldn't be out of my nature to say something dumb completely out of turn. Exhibit A: that Thursday I was sitting in composition class staring at Link, and the whole time I felt like screaming at him for not hitting his father back. And I probably would have, except old Ezlo kept going on and on about drawing ideas from Hyrulian mythology, and I figured it would be pretty rude to interrupt him. One didn't simply interrupt Ezlo. I don't know how to explain it other than it just didn't work that way.

I was on my way to the dining hall when Nabooru halted me in the hallway. It's pretty rare that Nabs acknowledges my existence, so I was rather honored. She was beaming; about what, I didn't know.

"Oh, no, you look downright gleeful," I told her. Her smile just broadened.

"Good news," she said, which sounded like bad news to me. "We had a calculus exam today. I received perfect marks, but Zelda Harkinian's head was in the clouds! She didn't finish the exam and failed—"

"I'm going to stop you right there," I announced, and Nabooru fell silent. "Zelda flunked a test?" I clarified. "As in, she got an F? As in, scored below a 65 because she didn't know what she was doing?"

"That's right!" Nabooru answered, and I didn't know whether to feel pleased or upset. A part of me saw it as a good thing—maybe this would convince Zelda to come down off of her high horse. But most of me was just confused, because it was so unlike her to do poorly at anything.

"Why is that good news?" I finally asked, and Nabs just smirked.

"It's good news because I'm back at the top of my class," she answered. "Zelda's in second!"

Which was good news, I guess, because I wanted to see Nabs at the top of her class. I wanted to see her do well, and get university scholarships, and go to some high-ranking school, because she was a hard worker, even if she ignored her family for it. And sometimes I get upset with her for leaving us all behind, but other times I remember that maybe she didn't always want to.

I think it would have stopped there if Zelda had shown at lunch, but the fact of the matter is that she didn't show at lunch, and she wasn't going to show for the rest of the day, either.

When I asked Malon about it, she just shrugged.

"I haven't seen Zelda since this morning," she informed me. "I wish I knew where she was, but I don't. Link?"

Link just shook his head quietly. "Haven't seen her," he repeated, which sounded like a lie to me, but I wasn't going to press the issue any further. Link looked like something was eating at him, and I didn't want to get into any sort of argument. He already had one swollen eye. Besides, Zelda wasn't here to stop a fight if it broke out, and I wasn't in the mood for any trouble.

(Weird, I know.)

I spent the rest of the day hunting for Zelda outside of class, but like I said, she never turned up. I hoped she wasn't beating herself up over a dumb calc exam. I recalled a time last year when a girl named Ilia failed a biology exam, and she was so upset over it that she cried in the bathroom all afternoon. I asked Nabs if she thought maybe Zelda had been crying in the girls' room since this morning, and she just scoffed at me and told me I was being sexist.

I walked home again that day. I hadn't taken public transport since the weekend, probably because I was afraid of encountering the "magic beans" guy again. As I was leaving the school, Treasure-Wad Tingle tried to sell me a pirated DVD for the small price of my soul, which I declined. It was getting colder and colder out; the air nipped at my skin, and the leaves, dry and crisp, were starting to fall from the trees in swirls. A cold wind bit at my face, and I wrapped my blazer tighter around myself, wondering how I'd afford another winter coat this year; I'd already grown out of last year's.

It was only about four o' clock but the sun was already starting to duck out of sight. I took a detour down Main Street, my shoes slapping rhythmically against the sidewalk as I went, air puffing out of my nostrils in warm clouds, wind nipping and pinching at my nose and cheeks. Most stores usually close around four or five, but the bookshops and cafes like to stay open later because people are still getting out of work. A few dried out leaves swirled past my feet, sweeping down the sidewalk like tumbleweeds. They came to a halt next to a small brick building, and I came to a halt, too, because something interesting had caught my eye.

I took a few steps closer to the building. A sign swinging over the door read Piper's Café. And on the other side of the large glass window, curled up and in plain sight, was Zelda. She didn't see me looking at her because her eyes were downcast. Her cheeks were still pink, suggesting that she'd just gotten out of the cold, and she grasped a steaming cup of coffee close to her lips, maybe hoping that it would warm her up. She was wrapped in a coat and scarf, her blond hair down and pulled back in a headband, and she looked so entirely unlike herself that I couldn't help but make up my mind. I was going in there, because something was clearly wrong.

I pulled open the heavy door, a small bell ringing above my head as I entered. A girl at a counter asked me if she could help me with anything and I just shook my head, passing the counter and making a beeline for Zelda's booth. I slipped into the seat across from her. She still hadn't noticed me, which was very strange. It wasn't until I cleared my throat that she glanced up.

She grimaced. "Not you," she complained, but I wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were rimmed with red.

She had been crying.

"Who was it?" I asked, unable to help myself. "What did they do?"

Zelda was utterly taken aback. "What? It was nobody. Nobody did anything. Leave me alone."

"I mean it," I repeated, not about to fall for her lie. "Tell me, so I can do something about it. Who was it, and what did they do to you?"

Now Zelda just looked offended. "I'm telling you, Ganondorf, I'm fine! I'm a little upset, I scored poorly on an exam, and—"

"This isn't about you flunking a stupid test," I argued. "Now please, tell me, I want to help—"

"Leave me alone, Ganondorf," she warned. "I thought I'd told you to stay away—"

"—I'm not staying away, you're upset, something's wrong, and I want to help," I said. And the thing is, this wasn't about Nabooru's stupid plan to win class president. I wasn't even thinking about that as I sat across from Zelda in that little café on Main Street. I was just thinking about Zelda, who was a real person, with real emotions, who was upset about something. And all I wanted to do was help, and I don't know why.

"I'm not interested," Zelda finally said, which was kind of baffling. "In case you haven't noticed, I don't want to go out with you. I've tried telling you that."

"This isn't about wanting to date you, either," I said. "It's about whether you're okay."

She shook her head, repeated that she didn't want me there, and she even started insulting me. This girl would stop at nothing to make me go away. Then she tried the silent treatment, which sucked.

After a few minutes of it, I sighed. "Fine," I said. "I'm sorry." And I meant it, too. She still refused to look at me, and instead she stared down at her cup. I realized suddenly that her glasses were gone—don't know how I'd missed that—but decided not to bring it up. In hindsight, it's kind of funny that they were gone, because this was the first time that her eyes weren't guarded by them. And she had been crying. And it was like she was opening up, which was weird, because she wasn't.

But it felt like it, and it was enough to soften me.

"I really am sorry," I repeated, the sarcastic undertones gone from my voice. Now Zelda actually looked up, her pale blue eyes almost wide with surprise. She was silent.

"Can I order a drink?" I now asked. "Sit with you for awhile? I promise I won't bother you, I'd just like to—"

"That's fine," she cut in, and I got up to order a coffee, smiling slightly. As I was standing in line, I heard a voice behind me.

"Lose track of yourself?" someone asked. I turned around to see a thin, pale young man around my age. The hair and skin both had a tint of violet, the eyes, cat-like and red.

"Vaati," I remarked, and he smirked.

"Long time, no see," was all he said. "Thought you were dead. We all did. Why didn't you say you were leaving?"

Allow me to explain. Vaati was kind of my partner in crime back at the old public school. There were a few of us—Vaati, Majora, and I—and we went around wreaking havoc all the time. You know, spray-painting the parking lot, breaking into classrooms, that sort of thing. I'd never hinted that I'd be leaving for the Academy before I left the city school, and I didn't talk to Vaati or Majora after I left, either. I guess I didn't want them to know where I was going because we'd always made fun of the private school kids, and the last thing I wanted to do was become one of them.

He glanced me over, biting his cheek. Finally, he smirked. "Look at you," he mumbled. "Look all grown up, you do. Like my father," he said, scowling. "Even so—" and here he paused— "even so, mate, you still look like yourself. Didn't think you could hide forever, did you?" When I didn't answer, his smirk grew. "Whatever. I don't want to hear it." He fumbled for something in his pocket, retrieving a small paper package. "Cigarette?"

"No smoking in here!" the woman at the counter called before I even had the chance to answer. Vaati groaned.

"Fine, fine," he said, moseying out of line. He glanced over his shoulder at me. "You coming, mate?" he asked, shaking the package. "It's on me, I promise."

I glanced over to the table where Zelda was waiting quietly. "No, no," I answered finally. "I can't. Another time, maybe." Which was a lie, because I hadn't smoked a cigarette in months, and the last thing I wanted to do was start that up again.

Vaati's eyes trailed over to Zelda. Then, they widened, the redness becoming more apparent than ever as he caught my gaze.

"Oh, gods," he commented, his face wrinkling up just the slightest bit. "You've gone soft, haven't you? You _have_," he concluded, and rolled his eyes. "Very well, then. Have it your way."

And he stalked off without another word. I approached the counter and ordered whatever was cheapest, using a student ID card from the Academy to make it cheaper than usual. I handed the woman at the counter a note for 5 rupees, accepted the change, and when the change hit my hand it was for the wrong amount.

"You gave me too much," I said, and she just shook her head.

"Good on you for turning him down," was all she said, and, coffee in hand, I was sent on my way.

Zelda hadn't moved since I'd left, and she was gazing out of the window when I returned. Night had fallen at this point and the streetlights had flickered on outside.

"Can I take your coat?" I asked with unprecedented gentleness, setting down my cup on the table. Zelda glanced back up. She didn't answer for a minute, seemingly still in her own world, and then she registered what I said, and nodded.

"I—yes, I mean, of course, thanks," she stuttered, and I couldn't push away the feeling that something was really bothering her. She unfastened the buttons quickly and shrugged off the black wool. I took it from her, draped it over the back of the chair, and then went for her scarf. Just as my fingers hit the fabric, Zelda raised a hand and clutched it instinctively, almost protectively. I couldn't help the concern that shot through me when she did that.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, and Zelda shook her head a little too quickly.

"Never mind," she said, and that's when it occurred to me that she was hiding something.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. It's _nothing_, never mind," Zelda insisted, knowing as well as I did that she was only making it worse by saying that. But I was frustrated, and I wasn't about to give in.

"Zelda," I muttered. She refused to look up at me, staring ahead fiercely. "Zelda, I know what he's like. Your dad, I mean. You want your privacy, fine. But your _safety_- that's a hell of a lot different."

So I removed the scarf against her will. She protested, trying to stop me as I unwound it from her shoulders, but she knew that there was nothing she could do; finally, I pulled the scarf away, and Zelda's shoulders slumped in defeat—embarrassment, even.

For a second, I didn't notice what was wrong. Her collar was a little rumpled, sure. But then I noticed that the top of the collar was unbuttoned, and that her neck was exposed, and that peeking up out of the top of the collar, just enough for it to be noticeable, was a small black bruise the size of a coin.

"No," I said quietly, and Zelda didn't protest as I pulled her collar down further, revealing the skin on her neck and shoulder. And lining the skin there was a row of five perfect bruises, right in the shape of fingerprints, and I didn't need (nor want) to remove any more clothing to know that there was a matching set on the other side. An image shot into my mind of somebody, an angry somebody, grabbing Zelda by the shoulders, shaking her, wringing her there, somebody who was much taller than her, somebody who Zelda would be embarrassed to report…

I didn't say another word. I just dropped the scarf on the tabletop and stormed out of the café wordlessly, my head throbbing, my ears ringing in outrage. I could hear Zelda calling out from behind me but I didn't acknowledge her. I just kept walking, slamming the door behind me, and beginning my march down the sidewalk.

Before I'd gotten very far, I heard the bell ring, and Zelda materialized from the café, her coat hanging unbuttoned from her shoulders.

"Where are you going?!" she cried.

"I'm going to give your dad a piece of my mind!" I answered, not bothering to turn around. I tried to keep walking but I was stopped suddenly when Zelda's hand wrapped around my arm, holding me back.

"No!" she argued. "You can't, _please!_" Note that she didn't deny being hurt; her father had hurt her, and she didn't even bother to refute it. "Please," she repeated, and I turned around. Her grip on my arm slackened and I just stared at her for a few seconds, shivering in the cold autumn night, the streetlight casting long shadows across her face.

"Why not?" I finally asked.

"I don't want you interfering. Don't get caught up in this," Zelda instructed.

I just shook my head. "Zelda, I don't have a choice," I said. And then I turned and kept walking, and just like before, Zelda stopped me.

"You can't!" she yelled, dragging me a few steps back. For such a thin girl, she was actually quite strong. I don't know. Maybe all girls are stronger than we give them credit for.

"Are you going to stop me?!"

"Obviously," she answered, and I could tell that she was desperate. "Listen, Ganondorf, just listen to me—please, _listen,_ no don't walk away—don't get caught up in this, it's not what you think it is—stop it, don't you realize—_I deserved it, Ganondorf!"_

I paused again. She was begging me, now, doing everything she could to stop me from getting involved with her father. And I understood why, but it didn't stop my anger from growing.

"You don't deserve_ any_ of that!" I argued. And the rage suddenly boiled to the top like a fire wanting to be recognized.

And I couldn't control it anymore, shouting, "Your father has to learn that he can't punch you into being perfect any more than he can punch Link into being straight!"

…The silence that followed was unparalleled. It was thick, it was pressing, just the two of us on that cold, empty sidewalk in the light of a streetlamp.

And then tears formed in her eyes, spilling over onto her cheeks, flushed pink with outrage. "Why can't you just mind your own business?!" she finally sobbed, her fists clenched. "I'm so sick of you, so sick of you interfering! Can't you see that all I want—all I ever wanted—is to get rid of you?! Ganondorf Dragmire, _I HATE YOU!"_

"Okay," I replied, my voice empty of emotion.

"I've never hated anyone as much as I hate you!" she insisted. And then, for emphasis, "_Anyone!"_

I just stared, struck silent. When I spoke, I didn't say what I meant to say. What I meant to say was _I'm sorry, I understand, I know, but you need help…_

Instead, I choked out unplanned words. "Hit me." When she didn't answer, I continued with, "Go on, punch me. Get it out."

I doubt Zelda even thought twice about it. She charged forward and hammered me with her fists, punching me on the arms and the shoulders. I just kept repeating "Yes, yeah, again," like some sort of robot. "Yes, again! Punch me in the face!" And then my head spun with pain as she socked me right in the eye. She kept at it until she'd backed me up against the brick wall, and even then she kept going, hitting me and yelling at me until she came down off of her high, the fatigue starting to set in. The punches started slowing down, becoming lighter, until she stopped, and her hands fell slack at her sides. And then she stared right at me, eyes wide, shocked, terrified.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice hollow. She glanced nervously at her trembling hands. "Oh my gods, I'm so sorry." Giant tears were splashing against her cheeks, and she took a shaky breath.

"Are you all right?" I finally asked, my cheek feeling sore and slightly swollen.

"No," she answered breathily. When she looked up, she finally, finally caught my eye. "Don't ever let me do that again."

"Why not?"

"Because hitting is wrong- and that was so wrong- but it felt good, Ganon, and- and… thank you."

My head was still rattling. Had she punched me so hard that I was hallucinating? "Come again?!"

"You understand," she explained. "It's bizarre. And kind of magnificent, and enlightening, and I finally get it. You know what I'm going through, don't you? You've… you've been through it before."

_I think she punched me too hard,_ I thought._ Maybe I'm dreaming. Maybe I'm comatose. Maybe I'm dead._

But I just answered quietly, "Yes, I have been through it before."

It wasn't a lie.

Her eyes fell to the ground. "So, thank you," she repeated.

"You're welcome." I felt like I should be excited about this, but I really wasn't. I wasn't excited at all. I was just drained, and sore, and tired, and wanted to go home.

Somehow, the surprises hadn't ended. "What's your phone number?" she asked, retrieving a sleek black cell phone from her pocket.

I bit my lip. "Don't have a phone," I answered slowly.

"Not even a house phone?"

"Well, if you call the building, the woman in the lobby can give you an extension to my room. But the line's usually busy anyway. Here," I said, scribbling down the number to the lobby on a scrap of paper from my bag and handing it over. "You have to ask for Floor 8, apartment 6. And then an extension to room A. There's a phone there and… are you even listening?"

She'd become worried again, staring at the screen on her phone. "I have to go," she said quickly. "Link sent me a message… Father is upset, and…" she shook her head and slipped the phone and my note into her pocket. Finally, she caught my eye and let out a sigh. "Don't tell anyone," she said. "About tonight, or about anything, really." I took this as a sign to keep Link's situation a secret, as well as a warning to stay away from the headmaster.

I didn't argue this time. I just nodded in understanding. And then Zelda gave a small smile, and turned and walked back down the sidewalk. It was too late to walk home now, so I gave in and sauntered over to the bus stop, boarding the bus when it came and ending the first (but definitely not the most) bizarre plot twist of my life.

**Hello again! (Finally, some development.) Thanks to all of you who are reading for being lovely, and thanks to all of you who are reviewing for being way more lovely.**

**Next chapter: A day off reunites Ganon with some old friends- namely, some old friends that he's been avoiding for the past month. And they're not pleased.**


	7. Conversations with Cigarette Butts

Ch. 7: Conversations with Cigarette Butts

"Ganon! Where have you been—oh, goddesses, _look _at you!" cried Aveil as I trudged through the door that night. She was at my side in seconds, stroking my face gently, automatically.

"What is it, Aveil? …Ganon?" Abenu asked, materializing in the kitchen doorway. Her eyes widened. "Ganon… your face!"

"Did you get into a fight?" Aveil asked me, her fingertips resting on what I figured was a bruise. I didn't feel like explaining, so I just nodded weakly. "Oh, boy," she muttered, emitting a sigh. "All right, then. Come with me. Abenu?"

"Yeah?"

"Go grab a washcloth from the bathroom and wet it. Cold water." Abenu nodded and Aveil ushered me into the kitchen, sitting me down in a wooden chair. Sirbe was there, sitting on the tabletop and staring at me.

"You have a black eye. Did you get jumped?" she asked, and it was obvious that she found it amusing. Thirteen year olds find everything funny.

"Sort of," I answered.

"Holy shit!" she cried, and Aveil sighed in disgust.

"Sirbe, we talked about using language like that."

"Yeah, yeah," Sirbe answered, flicking her short red hair off to the side. I suppose you could call her a tomboy, since she's always dressing in hoodies and acting like a dude.

Abenu appeared back in the kitchen a moment later, dangling a soaking wet washcloth from the tips of her fingers. Aveil took it, wringing it out in the sink before returning to my side. She combed my bright red hair out of my face and laid the damp washcloth against the tender skin there.

"You poor thing," she pouted, resting her hand on my cheek again. I closed my eyes and appreciated her closeness. It was like having my mother back, and these moments didn't happen often.

I heard the click of heels as somebody else entered the room. I didn't need to open my eyes to know it was Nabooru.

"Who was it?" she asked as soon as she saw me.

"Zelda Harkinian," I answered, and the room went dead silent. Then Sirbe burst into laughter.

"Ha!" she cried. "Ganon got beat up by a girl!"

"Don't be sexist," Nabs warned, which was ridiculous, because Sirbe's a girl, too. Sometimes I think that Nabs doesn't like Sirbe because Sirbe is more like a boy than a girl, and Nabs hates boys. Hates them. Hates me, too, I think.

Aveil just looked relieved when I revealed the identity of my attacker. "Thank Farore," she muttered. "I thought you'd had a run in with a gang."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Sirbe chuckled. "Remember last year, with Vaati? You got jumped on the corner of 7th and Main. They all aimed for your pants, and the two of you came home clutching your balls—"

"Sirbe!" Aveil cried. "Have some manners! Your little _sister _is in the room!"

"It's okay," said Abenu, who was giggling.

"Face it, Aveil," I muttered, my speech slurred from my swollen lips and cheeks. "The girl swears like a sailor."

"You oughtta get some sleep," Sirbe told me. "You look beat. Why'd she hit you?"

"I told her to," I answered.

"The hell'd you do that for?" asked Sirbe, helping me up from the kitchen chair. She supported my weight as we crossed the hallway, pushing open the door to my room and flicking on the light before dumping me on the bed.

"She was mad. And I was going to console her, but then I thought, damn, if I were her, I wouldn't want consolation. I'd want to punch someone in the godsdamned mug. So I let her. And it worked."

"What worked?"

"She… stopped. Looked at me. Said thanks, took our phone number—"

"Took our phone number?"

"Yeah," I answered, and I could feel sleep starting to wash over me. "You know. A number, with which to call our—Sirbe, I just realized something wonderful."

"And that is?"

"Everything's going to change and it's going to be a good change."

Sirbe just chuckled. "Are you high? You're high, aren't you?"

"I want to make her laugh. Or even smile. I've never seen her happy, Sirbe, never seen her grin or seen her eyes light up and crinkle at the corners… never seen her even blush, or heard her giggle, and… and I'm gonna make her laugh. I _am_, Sirbe, I _am_, 'cause I'd be willing to bet she hasn't had a proper laugh in years…"

"Who? Zelda?"

I didn't answer.

"Oh gods. You _are _high, aren't you?" she pressed. I shook my head again.

"Not high… Vaati tried to give me a cig… I said no, can't, because I was with Zelda and I…" Sleep was taking over like a drug, and I couldn't help but trail off. Even my voice felt weak, felt drained.

"You saw Vaati?" my sister asked. I gave half a nod, closing my eyes and turning onto my shoulder. Then Sirbe asked if I loved Zelda.

"No way," I answered. "Don't know her… I bet her smile's real nice, though…"

Something black took hold of me and I fell, fell into a slumber, the world rushing past me as I was dragged down.

* * *

The next day was Saturday. Thank Din, too, because I wouldn't have made it through another school day. Zelda essentially beat the living daylights out of me, and when I checked in the bathroom mirror that morning, I could see the evidence. My eyes—Abenu said they were amber, but I always thought they were just an ugly yellow—were asymmetrical, with one perfectly intact, and the other bloodshot and surrounded by a dark ring. There was a bruise on my cheek, too. I pulled off my t-shirt, exposing my shoulders, my chest, my stomach, my arms- all bruised. Deep purple marks where Zelda had hurt me. No wonder my sisters had thought I'd been jumped. I looked like I'd been in a gang fight.

I could see my reflection's face distort slightly as I realized something terrible. Bruises on me- well, yeah, they looked terrible. But I was thinking suddenly of the black and blue splotches the headmaster had probably left on Zelda's pearl-colored skin, and the image sickened me.

She was tough, that girl. Tougher than the rest of us gave her credit for. And not just because she could throw a punch.

I dressed casually again that day. It had been a week since Malon's bonfire, and I couldn't believe how long the days felt. I found my heavy black jacket waiting loyally in my closet, smelling strongly and satisfyingly of leather. Slipping it over my aching torso was instantly reassuring, and I left my school blazer- which I'd fallen asleep in- in a heap in the corner. Pleased with my appearance, I ventured out into the sunlight in front of the apartment complex.

I think a part of me wanted to prove that I hadn't gone soft, and I was starting with the neighbors. I wasn't the only one outside; the weather was warm this morning, and the streets were already pretty busy. Stiff brick buildings lined the streets, some of them ten stories high, others, twenty. There were a few dumpsters at the end of the street; I walked toward them. Upon closer examination, I noticed movement inside of one. I took a few steps closer, trying to block out the smell, and then stuck my head over the edge of the bin, peering down at the mounds of black plastic bags inside, each stuffed with waste. Deep inside the bin, laying on his back, glasses askew, was a tall, gangly boy. He had a shock of bright red hair, pale white skin, and a smattering of freckles.

"Gods!" I cried, reaching in and pulling him up absentmindedly. "What happened to you?!"

He pulled away and flopped back down in protest. "Shoo!" he said, his voice hardly above a whisper. "Go away! Pretend you didn't see me- I'm not in here!"

My shoulders slumped. "Wait. You're hiding? You mean... you weren't thrown in?"

"Believe me," he said. "I'd rather be here than out there." He peeked up over the edge of the bin, examining me. "You're Gerudo."

"Your point?" I asked.

"Well, she was, too."  
"She?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Sirbe." I groaned as everything became clear.

"Did you call her girly?" I droned, and he nodded fearfully. I sighed. "Figures," I said, giving him a pat on the head. "Don't worry, kid. You're not the first."

"She threatened to throw me in the dumpster," he explained, leaning forward and throwing his arms over the edge of the bin. He sighed. "I figured that I'd just do the job for her. That way, if she finds me- which I hope she doesn't- she won't have to throw me in here. And so it won't hurt."

I scrutinized him. "You look about her age," I said. "You in her class?"

"Yeah. She gave me a wedgie once. She also called me a nerd, and pushed me in a locker."

"Imagine that," I mused. "Sirbe, a bully..." I turned back to the kid. "What's your name, then?"

"Shad," he answered.

"Well, Shad, a piece of advice for you-" I was cut off as Shad gave a terrified squeak.

"She's coming!" he cried, and he disappeared back inside the dumpster. Sirbe was at my side seconds later.

"Hey," she said. "Have you seen a real wimpy kid- pale- red hair- about yay high-" she gestured to a spot just above her head- "anywhere?"

I thought for a second. "I think I saw someone like that over there," I said, gesturing in the opposite direction. Sirbe gave a vacant nod, examining the scene behind me. Had she even been listening?

"What are you doing over here?" she asked.

"Taking out the trash."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"No you're _not_," she insisted. "Abenu and I took out the trash this morning." Her eyelids drooped in bored realization. "He's in the dumpster, isn't he?" she said flatly. Before I could stop her, she'd clambered up on top of a pile of garbage bags and had gotten a view into the dumpster's depths. For a second, I thought that she might pull Shad out and beat the crap out of him. Instead, she just sighed. "Nope," she said, and jumped back down onto the pavement. I suppressed a chuckle, supposing that Shad had submerged into the depths of the trash bags in order to avoid my sister.

"Whatever," she finally said, having grown bored. She jerked her thumb in the direction of the occupied street. "Everyone's talking about you," she stated. "None of them have seen you since you transferred, and now you're back looking like you got hit by a bus. They're all saying you went to jail or something. Better go clear up the rumors." She pointed toward a street corner a ways off. "Vaati and Majora are looking for you," she said. "Not a bad idea to start there."

I followed the trail that Sirbe had pointed out for me. Sure enough, the neighbors were all staring from the curbs or fire escapes where they were sitting. It was a different world than the one I had spent the past two weeks in; there were no sidewalk cafes here. There were no fountains, no parks, no sculptures, no outlet stores. Just slums, and apartments, and people on front stoops who had run out of places to go.

Kind of like me.

I found Vaati and Majora in the shade of an alleyway, sitting next to each other with their backs pressed up against the bricks. They were, for the most part, hidden from the light, but the glow of two cigarettes stood out in the darkness.

"Hey," Vaati finally said, catching sight of me. "See you've gotten rid of the dressing gown." It took me a minute, and then I realized he was referencing my uniform.

"Yeah," I finally said, unable to come up with a comeback. I sat down against the wall opposing the other two.

"Cigarette?" Vaati asked, and I turned down the offer just as I had done the day before.

"Nah," I answered, and Vaati just shook his head.

"Of course not," he muttered, a small smile forming on his face. "How dumb of me to forget."

I gulped and shifted my weight. I hoped that the other two didn't sense my discomfort. Finally, Majora spoke.

"Where've you _been?_" she finally asked, taking a long drag from her cigarette. For a second, the glow of it lit up her face.

The way she treated her body was strange but magnificent. Her arms and collar were covered with tattoos, and she had piercings on her ears, her nose, her eyebrows, and- supposedly- her stomach. Her hair was black, and she liked to have it streaked, and she always pulled it back in a tight ponytail, showing off her angular, but somehow attractive, face. She was muscular, and wore a lot of leather, and had a pair of clunky boots that she wore everywhere. I don't know. She just expressed herself in a weird way, and that was okay with me, because when we'd all been kids, she, Vaati, and I had all been the same.

We'd all been on our own.

And we didn't judge each other. We didn't care that Majora had turned her body into her personal canvas. Or that Vaati liked to wear his hair down to his shoulders. Or that my clothes were always tattered. We just accepted each other, and got into trouble together, and that was it. And then we hit high school a year later, and Nabooru started going to Hyrule City Academy, and Aveil dropped out, and we finally got out of the shelters and into our own apartment...

Another tangent. Sorry. Next time, let me know when I start telling a boring story.

"He's been _scholarly_," Vaati deadpanned. "Hasn't he?"

"He has," I answered quietly, and I could feel my friends' frowns cutting through the darkness.

"And who was he sitting with at Piper's yesterday?"

"He was sitting with... a girl he met last week," I answered. Speaking in the third-person was easier; it made this feel less personal, made it feel more open, more subjective, like I was just stating the facts.

"Does she have a name?" Majora cut in.

"Her name is Zelda," I answered.

"Zelda," Majora repeated, as if testing out the syllables. "Zelda Harkinian," she concluded after a minute.

"You know her?"

"Yeah. She's got a brother, hasn't she? Good looking kid."

"Um. Yes," I said."How do you know the Harkinians?"

I didn't need to see Majora's face to know she was rolling her eyes. "_Everyone_ knows the Harkinians," she answered, letting out a puff of smoke. "They've been Hyrulian _legend _ever since their mother died a few years ago."

"I s'pose the wounds still fresh?" Vaati cut in, and there was something sick about the way he said it.

"You bet," Majora answered. "Word is that Old Mr. Harkinian still hasn't gotten over it. I guess it was a real blow to the whole family- well, _you_ would know, Ganon."

"Yeah," I said quietly, unsure as to whether the mention of my deceased mother was meant to be condescending.

"How'd she die?" asked Vaati, turning the conversation back to the topic of Zelda's mom.

I heard Majora shrug, watching her cigarette glow as she twirled it thoughtfully. "There're all sorts of theories," she answered. "Some people say she was sick. Others say she got injured. I've heard everything. But mostly they say that she killed herself."

"Suicide?" I said, my jaw clenching up.

"No, dumbass, a tree fell on her," Majora droned, but the joke didn't amuse me.

"That's not funny," I said. "It's not funny. What if she really did kill herself?" I could feel my throat tightening up as I spoke.

"Woah. Calm down, Sparky," Vaati ordered.

"Don't just brush this off!" I said. "Are you serious? Do they really say Zelda's mom committed suicide?" I started to stand up, but Vaati's hand shot out in the dark, tightening around my wrist.

"Sorry," he said, but it sounded superficial. "I forgot you'd gone soft."

"What- I haven't-"

"You really have," Majora affirmed.

"But it's only been two weeks!"

Majora sighed. "Doesn't take long." I tried to leave again, but Vaati's grip on my wrist tightened.

"Listen," he said. "We're sorry. Really, we are. Right, Majora?"

...Hesitation. "Right," she answered.

My lips tightened and I couldn't seem to come up with a proper response, opening my mouth a few times, but allowing no words to come out. Finally, Vaati's grip slackened.

"Let's go do something," he said. "Get our minds off of this. We're still friends, right? Let's play basketball. At the old hoop down the street. I bet Sirbe's got a basketball we can borrow; she always does."

I sighed in relief. "Yeah," I said. "Sounds good." Majora and Vaati stood up behind me and we stepped out into the sunlight. We'd gone a few yards when they stopped me again, stepping out in front of me and examining my face.

"Holy shit," Majora said. "Your face-"

"Yeah," I said.

"Was it a gang?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah," I fibbed. "Two gorons. Late last night- after Piper's- I was on the way home-" They apparently couldn't hear the lie on my tongue. Instead, they just grinned.

"You look tough," Majora finally said, punching me lightly in the shoulder. They continued the walk down the street. I trailed after them, and yet I couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very different about all of this.

Different than it had been a few weeks ago.

In a bad way.

**Finally, an introduction to Ganon's old "friends" and a little more about his own life. I want to be able to differentiate (shudders at the reminder of calculus) very clearly between Ganon's life at home and Ganon's life at HCA.**

**Hope you're all enjoying the holidays!**

**Next chapter: Ganon is reunited with Zelda, Link, and Malon while out to lunch at a 50's style diner. Cue the music. Cue the soda pop. Cue the awkward small talk.**

**Please drop me some feedback!**


	8. A Few Encounters

Ch. 8: A Few Encounters

I returned home that evening to discover that I had missed not one, not two, but _three _phone calls. The caller had left a number, and I didn't bother asking who it had been. I figured that I already knew, so I unhooked the receiver from the wall and carried it into my room, dialing as I went. The other line was still ringing as I slammed the door behind me, flopping onto my back on the mattress and waiting for an answer.

"You called," she finally said, and she seemed relieved.

"Of course I called. I don't have much of a choice, do I?" I paused as something occurred to me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered quickly. "Bad day. I thought maybe you'd make it better."

"Zelda Harkinian," I joked. "You know that the reason I exist is to make your life as difficult as possible, right?"

I heard a faint giggle, and felt myself smiling in turn. The frown returned after a second. "What was so bad about it?"

"About what?"

"Your day."

She was quiet. Considering something, maybe. "Nothing," she finally answered. "It's stupid."

Figuring that I'd done enough snooping in the past few days to last me a lifetime, I kept quiet for once. She ended up changing the subject, and that was the end of that.

"Do you go to Community Prayer?" she asked.

"Community- what?"

"It's in the Temple of Time," she answered. "Sunday mornings. You know, you study the goddesses together, and you pray to them. It's nice."

I faintly recalled something like that from when I was a kid. "My family stopped doing that a looong time ago," I finally answered. Silence.

"Well, anyway," she said, "Link, Malon, and I are going out for lunch afterwards. We usually do. I talked to Link... he said it's okay if you want to join us."

I considered it. I had a mountain of homework to attend to, but I could afford to put it off... besides, this was key to Nabooru's plan. If I didn't get to the breaking-Zelda's-heart thing soon, she'd start spreading the news about that thing I did when I was a kid. And I just couldn't afford that right now.

"I'll meet you there," I answered. "What time?"

…

It was a 50's style burger joint off of Main Street. Not what I would have expected out of a stuffy family like the Harkinians and their vegan sidekick. In spite of these odds, it was apparently the group hangout, and sure enough, that was where I found them at 12:30 Sunday afternoon.

Everything was chrome. The furniture was chrome, the walls were chrome, the bar was chrome. I figured for a second that I was seeing things, so I stepped out of the diner, and when I stepped back in, nothing had changed. There was a jukebox in the corner with a small dance floor off to the side. Neon lights in shades of red and green lit up the room, and I could hear the _doo-bop _of a 50's riff rumbling out of the speakers.

My attention was drawn immediately to my classmates when Malon stood up on her chair and announced loudly, "GANONDORF DRAGMIRE!" I think there was a part of her that really liked the way my name sounded. I walked in her direction, and as Zelda and Link came into view, I became suddenly conscious of the way I looked, was dressed, smelled... I had bruises on my face, still, and I was dressed in a variation of yesterday's clothes. I expected ridicule at first, especially because Zelda had never seen me out of uniform, but the only comment I received was a compliment from Malon.

"You look like a greaser," she said. "Oh, you fit right in with this old diner!" She grabbed my wrist and dragged me down into a chair so that I ended up across the table from Zelda.

Nabooru told me once that you can tell a lot about HCA students by the way they dress outside of school. I decided to put that theory to the test, using Malon as my first subject.

She was wearing many colorful bracelets- woven bracelets, beaded bracelets, rubber bracelets- halfway up each forearm. Her shirt was striped, and she wore a flowing yellow skirt that reached down to her ankles. Colorful socks and a pair of high-tops completed the set. Well, actually, three earrings in each ear and a dog tag were probably what completed the set, and I didn't bother to comment on any of it.

Okay. So Malon really _was _strange, and now she had the outfit to match. She was wild and colorful and I would have assumed that her parents had been hippies if I didn't know better.

Continuing on. Zelda. She had her hair pulled back in a headband, but she let the straight blond strands fall around her shoulders. She was dressed in a white blouse with a black skirt, tights, and heels. Formal. Classy. Tied down. She was the exact opposite of Malon, who was loud and obviously wanted to be noticed. Zelda's goal was clear- she wanted to blend in with her surroundings.

I think it was Link who actually surprised me. In school, he slicked back his hair and dressed incredibly carefully, almost like he was in the military. Today, he was wearing a baggy sweatshirt, jeans, and his hair was long and shaggy. Not to mention the blue hoop in one ear, which amused me because for some reason I imagined Link only putting on the earring once he left the house to avoid commentary from his father. It struck me as odd that Link was so casual- and not just casual, but so typical. And then I got it- he was dressing differently because his father wasn't around.

That was when I first started to understand the difference between Link and Zelda- while Zelda played by her father's rules, Link was trying to rebel. I'd always figured that, like his sister, Link was just a pawn of his father. But now, just by examining his clothes, his expression, his manner, I could tell that he wasn't the same person that I'd met in the hallways of HCA. He was being subtle about it, but he definitely was _not _an agent of the headmaster.

Nabooru had been right. Clothes _did _tell all.

Somehow, the conversation turned to school. The topic of the elections came up, and I tuned in for once, assuming that this was probably important.

"Has anyone been paying attention to the polls?" Zelda asked. We all sort of looked at each other, not clear on how we should respond to that. Zelda sighed. "Well, I have. They're tied," she said, fidgeting uncomfortably. "Leaning a little in your sister's favor, though, Ganon."

I could tell she was uncomfortable, and I was, too. "She's been working really hard..." I said, knowing that nobody wanted to hear that.

"I really feel like I need to win," Zelda continued, "what with Father breathing down my neck all the time. I'd just like to get out of his spotlight," she lamented, and flopped back with a sigh.

"Don't worry," Link said, flopping back in turn. "I'll take the spotlight back soon enough. I've had something planned for awhile, you see, but I don't think _Headmaster Harkinian _has been answering my call for attention."

So I had been right. He _was _trying to rebel.

There were a few awkward laughs from around the table, and then everyone fell silent. Malon took a swig of her drink, sighed refreshingly, and then turned to me.

"Enjoying HCA?" she asked.

"It's... impressive," I answered, not sure what else I could say. "I mean, it's leaps and bounds above my old school."

"I'd imagine the workload is leaps and bounds above it, too," Link joked.

"Oh, definitely," I agreed, and something crept into my memory. "I still haven't started my first semester assignment for Ezlo's class."

"Get to it, then," Link advised. "He doesn't accept late work. It's on the syllabus."

I frowned, staring aggressively at the tabletop. "It'd be easier to write something if I wasn't so stupid."

"I'm sure that's not true," Malon said, grasping my wrist. "That's not true at all. Right, Link, Zelda?"

Link and Zelda stared at her blankly for a second. Then they grabbed their drinks and sipped slowly from their straws at the same time, avoiding the question completely. Malon sighed melodramatically.

"Okay, so you're having a bit of trouble. Big deal. You can always- OH MY GODS!" She leapt to her feet suddenly, nearly upending the table.

"What?!" cried Link in alarm, grabbing his drink to protect it from Malon's oncoming rampage. "What is it?!"

"I LOVE THIS SONG!" she announced for the entire diner to hear, and then she clambered over me and out of the booth, grabbed Zelda by the shoulders, and hoisted her to her feet.

"Come dance with me!" she demanded, and she had Zelda in tow before she even had time to protest. They scrambled over to the dance floor and Malon began flailing her arms to something along the lines of _Great Balls of Fire, _and even though Zelda tried to join in, I could tell that her heart wasn't in it. I watched for a few more seconds, analyzing Zelda's small, awkward movements as she tried to appease her friend, and it was Link that drew me out of my daze.

"She really likes you. Zelda, I mean."

I glanced back at him. "She said so?"

"No," he answered. "I can just tell. She's been... unenthusiastic... lately. About people, about life."

"She's awful quiet," I observed, and Link just nodded.

"I know," he said with a sigh. "All I want is to see her smiling again."

"She's smiling right now," I said, and Link craned his neck to view the dancing girls. Zelda's lips were upturned just the slightest bit, but it was no secret that the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"That's a fake smile," Link decided, and he turned back to me. "I know she likes you," he repeated, "because she smiles when she talks to you. She smiled when you were talking on the phone yesterday. That's how I knew it was real. Because she wasn't smiling for anyone but herself..."

"Surprising, considering that she probably wanted to kill me a week ago." I recalled the toe-to-crotch episode. "Come to think of it," I mused, "I'm pretty sure that she tried."

I noticed suddenly that Link was examining me intently. His brow was furrowed as if he were drawing conclusions, and just as I was about to question him, he questioned me instead.

"But... You _do _like her back, right?"

"What- I mean- of course-"

"Are you lying?" Link pressed, and I shook my head briskly.

"No."

Link continued to analyze me, and he said, quietly, "You're the first person in a long time to make her feel important."

"That's because she _is_ very important," I answered, and when I said it, I wasn't looking at Link, but at Zelda. Malon had dragged her into another insane bout of arm- flailing, and there was a trace of laughter in Zelda's expression.

And in that moment, what I had said was undeniably true. Zelda, this small, sad girl in the too-big blouse with the hint of a smile disguised by the shadow of a frown... This thin-shouldered girl, who was unlike me because while I had happiness but no money, she had all the money she could ever need, but no happiness... This girl, this strange, frail girl, who was on the edge of something great and terrible at the same time, who seemed so perfectly in place, right down to the hairs on her head, who was in reality so complex that seemingly no one could figure her out...

She was important to me. Important to me because she didn't make sense and yet she made complete sense, because I knew in that moment that she was the key to something magnificent, and that I needed her, because she balanced me out in a way that I couldn't explain.

Zelda smiled faintly, and I smiled faintly, and in retrospect, it was all very nice.

"Now," said Link, shifting back in his seat as he changed the subject, "if it's help on Old Ezlo's assignment you need, I know someone who can point you in the right direction."

"And that is?" I asked, returning my attention to Link.

"Kafei Dotour. He's in Zelda's class."

I stared blankly for a second. "Like Senator Dotour?" I asked, impressed with myself for remembering the name of a government official.

"Yeah. Kafei's his son. He won Ezlo's writing contest last year and would probably be happy to help if you just ask him. He works in this old pawn shop off of Main Street. It's called the Curiosity Shop and you can find him there after school."

"Did he help you on your composition?" I asked innocently, and Link made a weird face that was somewhere between a smirk and a scowl.

"He and I aren't on good terms with one another," he answered, followed by an awkward pause. "Really, though," he pressed, "you should ask him for help. He's smart, and..."

I tuned out suddenly as a new song started playing over the speaker. It had a pleasant, swinging rhythm to it, and I recognized it instantly: _Only Sixteen, _Sam Cooke. My mom's favorite song because it made her think of my dirtbag father, who I guess she loved despite his standing as World's Most Decorated Douchebag. I drifted to my feet and found myself at Zelda's side a few seconds later.

"May I?" I asked in mock chivalry, to which Zelda replied, quietly and with embarrassment, "You may."

I took her hands and we rocked back and forth to the beat. After awhile Zelda rested her face in my shoulder. She smelled like lavender and hairspray, her skin was soft and cool, and it's one of my more pleasant memories, dancing with Zelda Harkinian to Sam Cooke's voice on a Sunday afternoon in mid-October...

I could feel the contour of her smile as it spread against my shoulder.

I think it's one of her more pleasant memories, too.

* * *

I decided to take Link's advice regarding Ezlo's assignment, and the next Monday after school, I set out to find Kafei Dotour. Someone had told me that the Curiosity Shop was on the corner of an intersection on Main Street, and following these directions, I sought out the place later that afternoon.

It turned out to be a pawn shop in a ramshackle brick building. The front window boasted all sorts of items- jewelry, snowglobes, old sneakers, beaded bracelets, a real sword, shields, an array of slingshots...

It was dark and musty inside, and a bell chimed over my head as I ducked inside. I let the door swing shut behind me and coughed in the dusty air; the shop was just as cluttered as the window had suggested, stocked with nick-nacks like masks, swords and shields, foodstuffs, crates and sacks filled with who-knew-what, and all sorts of clothing, jewelry, books, vinyl records, t-shirts, stationery... you name it. It was an odd assortment of unorganized objects, and many of the shelves were lined with dust. Apparently, the shop didn't get many visitors.

There was nobody else in the front of the shop but me. I could hear someone moving around in back, though, and I was greeted seconds later with a clang as a can fell to the floor. A muffled swear drifted back through the shelves, and then a slightly disgruntled young man made his way to the front of the shop.

He was around my age, and when he caught sight of me, he gave a good-natured smile. He had indigo hair that stopped at his shoulders, and a youthful, handsome face.

There was definitely something weird about him, though. He was very careful, I think. Political in nature- that's what happens when you're a senator's kid, I guess.

"You're Kafei Doutour?" I asked, and he smiled, wiping his hands on his apron and extending one out to me. I took it; he had a firm handshake.

"That's me," he answered.

"I'm Ganondorf Dragmire. Junior at HCA. Link Harkinian sent me here," I said, not bothering with any more formalities. "It's about Ezlo's first semester assignment. He said you could give me a few pointers."

Kafei's smile faded for a second, and then reappeared in a flash.

"Of course. I'd be happy to help. What do you need help with?" he asked, leading me to the checkout counter in the back. He slipped behind it, picked up a knife, and started carving into a piece of wood that it seemed he had been working on for awhile, now. It was a mask, and he had painted a part of it yellow. Two triangular ears poked out of the top, and I was tempted to ask what it was, but withheld myself.

Kafei worked and talked at the same time. "If it's an idea you're looking for," he mused, "then I can't tell you what to write about. But I can tell you what not to write about, if that'll be any help." He paused, and caught my eye. "Don't talk about something boring, or meaningless. Don't tell Old Ezlo how to fix up an old car. Or about your grandma's house. Don't talk about your annual vacation to the beach. Please don't talk about anything cliche." Kafei grinned. "The trick is to make him think. Make him work about something. Otherwise, it's just words." He went back to work.

"So... write about something meaningful?" I clarified.

"Yeah."

"But what if what's meaningful to me is dumb to Ezlo?" I asked, and Kafei smirked.

"If it's meaningful to you, it'll be meaningful to Ezlo. That old coot loves meaning. He runs on it. Bullshitting the assignment will never work. And by old coot," he added, raising an index finger, "I mean wise old sage."

I blinked a few times. "What?"

"Write what you know," Kafei said. "And write it well. Express yourself through it. Should do the trick."

"What did you write yours on?" I asked. Kafei didn't bother making eye contact when he answered.

"Keeping secrets."

I chuckled. "I could use some help with that."

"I know the feeling." He glanced up. "It sucks."

A grandfather clock hidden somewhere in the shop struck five.

"It's late," I remarked. "I'm going to head out." I shrugged my previously discarded schoolbag back over my shoulder. I had one foot out the door when Kafei stopped me.

"Does Link ever talk about me?" he blurted out, a nervous stitch in his voice. His hands had gone still, the mask sitting limply on the counter.

"All he said was that you two don't get along," I answered bluntly.

Kafei seemed visibly upset. "Oh," he said, but gave a halfhearted smirk anyway. "I see."

I didn't move. "Why do you care?" I asked stupidly.

"He and I…" Kafei began, but whatever he'd been about to say drifted off into space as he remembered where he was. Then he shook his head wordlessly and went back to carving his mask.

Wait, what? _What?_

_ None of your business, Ganondorf Dragmire. _I could practically hear Aveil's voice in my head.

I wanted to leave, but I had one last question. "That mask you're making," I said.

"Yeah?"

"What's it supposed to be?"

Kafei seemed surprised for a second, but then he answered, "It's a keaton. Haven't you ever heard of them?"

* * *

I stopped by the public library on the way home to check out some grammar books. I figured that I was a pretty crappy writer- still am a crappy writer, I think, but you can be the judge of that. In the spur of the moment, I logged onto one of the computers, pulled up an online encyclopedia, and typed keaton into the search bar. An article popped up with an illustration of the animal. It had golden fur and a fox-like face, with three tails springing out of its body.

The article identified the creature as playing a large role in mythology. It was known for being remarkably wise yet elusive; it gave wonderful advice, and was very knowledgeable of the world. However, its fear of humankind led it to hide from others, never having the opportunity, therefore, to expose its wisdom. Threatened by poachers, the keaton would draw away from civilization into the confines of some undetectable place. This was considered a tragedy, as the keaton's wisdom would potentially be very valuable to humankind...

I smiled slyly at the article before logging off for the day, considering what Kafei might have been trying to say by hiding by hind that mask, and therefore having to say absolutely nothing at all.

**Next to Malon, Kafei's one of my favorite characters in this piece.**

**I'm kind of cranking out updates. There are only a few of you reading this, so why not?**

**To those of you still reading, thank you so much. :)**

**Next chapter: Malon finds a book with a picture of her good friend Ganon inside. The problem: the book is hundreds of years old, and Ganon very clearly is not. (Bonus: Link gets into a fight with a walking pompadour.)**

**Please leave your thoughts in a review!**


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